$14 Million Agreement Signed.
A major Fisheries Infrastructure project , valued at EC 14 million has started in Saint Lucia. The project is funded by the Government of Japan under the Technical Cooperation Agreement signed in 2014 between Saint Lucia and Japan.
According to Moses Jn. Baptiste , Minister with responsibility for Fisheries, five fisheries landing facilities in the communities of Vieux Fort, Dennery, Castries, Gros Islet and Anse la Raye will benefit from an upgrade, of fisheries equipment and machinery.
The major benefits to fishers and Saint Lucia include among other things; the installation of two submerged Fish Aggregating Devices( FADS), off the west coast of Saint Lucia, solar powered ice machine at Dennery and major upgrade of the ice capabilities and freezing equipment at Vieux Fort Fisheries Complex . The fishers of Gros Islet, will benefit from a new ice plant and major repairs are to be done to the ice making capacity Anse la Raye .Additionally, the Saint Lucia Fish Marketing Company will benefit from new equipment.
“As a direct result of the major works, fishers in all of the five communities will need to make some adjustments, as normal operations at the landing facilities will be affected for a brief period. Meetings and consultation are being conducted with the fishing community by the Department of Fisheries and officials of the Saint Lucia Fish Marketing Company”, Jn Baptiste said.
He said all major works are expected to be completed by May 2016.
The Minister said this project will make ice and modern equipment more available to fishers and fisher cooperatives and help make some of the operations of the Fish Marketing Company more efficient. He expects that fishers will continue to strengthen their organizations to manage and sustain the benefits of “such a valuable donation from the Japanese people.”
Upgrades and construction of new facilities in other communities, “such as Laborie ,Micoud and Choiseul are being considered and the planning for them is at an advanced stage, Jn Baptiste said.