Market opportunities and climate-resilient fund among major support for fisherfolk – President Ali announces

Stakeholders within the local fishing industry, including boat owners and operators and their workers, as well as vendors, can look forward to continued investments in the sector under a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration, according to President Irfaan Ali.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the No. 75 Village Regional Hospital in East Berbice-Corentyne on Thursday, the Head of State underscored the importance of the sector to the country’s rapidly expanding and diversifying economy and committed that his Administration will continue to support workers in the industry.
“I want our fisherfolk to know that we’ve listened to them, we’ve heard them, and they deserve a life of dignity just like we’re supporting every other sector in our country,” President Ali said.
“Our fisherfolk must be supported, and they will be supported in many different ways,” he added.
This includes more opportunities for training and the introduction of technology in their practices.
“…so that they can ply their trade with greater precision, investing in that technology for them, buying into that technology for them,” he noted.
Additionally, he said stakeholders in the industry will continue to receive support with subsidised fuel and other forms of Government assistance.
“…building out their landing facility, helping them to reinvest in their boats, to reinvest in their capital, to help them to advance in the type of boats they have, so they can go to better grounds, so they can go to better opportunities,” he emphasised.
They will also benefit from social programmes such as co-investment opportunities and income diversification initiatives such as the expanding of aquaculture programmes.
Fisherfolk will also be supported with greater grants and investments in their safety and security, access to more and larger markets, and assistance with cold storage and processing facilities so they can get high value for their catches.
President Ali also outlined that the Government will be “co-investing with them and working out a mechanism through LCDS where they can be supported in a climate-resilient fund” that can help with climate realities they currently face.