THE St. Lucia Fish Marketing Corporation (SLMFC) to be restructured, That’s according to Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ezechiel Joseph, who made the revelation in his 2018 Fishermen’s Feast Message.
In his message to fishermen on a day usually also described as ‘Fishermen’s Day’, Joseph stated that the government “understands that to build a thriving, vibrant and sustainable business for fishers, it’s essential that we put in place a strong and reliable marketing infrastructure which is crucial for [its] continued development.”
He said that the key to this is the “restructuring of the SLMFC”, which he assured fishers that government is “well on its way” to doing.
Another important facet of fishing that the Minister brought up was insurance and he said “We are also discussing and exploring options that will provide insurance to our fisher folk,” which he said would be “to provide the necessary safety net to cushion the impact of climate change.”
He also promised fishermen that they “will be engaged before the process is finalised, to provide the right solutions to their needs as beneficiaries.”