WITH the distribution of the $150,000 one-off fisherfolk cash grant underway, the Ministry of Agriculture has moved ahead to issue bids for the rehabilitation of 72 landing sites and several fishing wharfs.

In an invited comment with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that some $300M has been billed for the rehabilitation works.

“We are looking at some of the wharfs and all the landing sites; we are trying to upgrade in terms of putting proper steps and other things like lights and sheds. Also, we will be doing some works at the Meadow Bank Wharf, Rosignol, and some other wharfs around the country where these fisherfolk are plying their trade,” Minister Mustapha said.

Earlier this year, President Dr. Irfan Ali, along with Minister Mustapha, visited the Meadow Bank Wharf to listen to the concerns of fisherfolk there.

During the meeting, fisherfolk bemoaned their working conditions. Subsequently, assessments were made, and 72 landing sites were identified for rehabilitation works.

Additionally, in June of this year, President Ali, during a public meeting at Windsor Forest, on the West Coast of Demerara, announced that fisherfolk will be the beneficiaries of a one-off grant of $150,000.

President Ali noted that after the government did a complete assessment of its revenue streams and finances, it determined that the $150,000 grant will be issued to the fisherfolk.

“We are announcing an initiative for every single person identified; we are going to help you with a one-off grant of $150,000. This is an immediate step that we are taking to assist you, in addition to all that we’re doing to expand the industry,” President Ali said.

The President noted that the grant for the fisherfolk ties in with the government’s commitment to increase support for the agriculture community, as Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean strive to increase production of food commodities, in keeping with the ‘Vision 25 by 25’ target.