WITH plans to purchase new equipment and conduct major repairs to their vessels, fisherfolk from Region Three were in high praises of the Government, on Wednesday, as they received their $150,000 one-off cash grants.

Alvin (only name given) told the Guyana Chronicle that he had been unable to work for some weeks now due to an injury he received while at sea.

The man was patiently sitting not too far from the ministry’s officials, eagerly waiting for his name to be called.

“I went out to sea and I hurt my foot when I was throwing out the seine, so I couldn’t go out to the big sea really to work,” he said.

Waiting just as patiently was Lakhraim (only name given), who said that help could not have come at a better time.

“The fishing work right now is very hard, sometimes you barely making it — the fuel raise, everything raise. Sometimes you work 10-12 days and you only get lil rashing for your work man to carry home so this money come in very nice right now to help,” said Lakhraim, a fisherman for more than 30 years.

Thamdra Joho expressed her gratitude for the grant.

“I’m happy, because right now my husband is not working and it will help me a lot; the money will help we a lot and the work men them. We are thankful to the Government of the day,” the woman said.

Rondald Skeete said fisherfolk have been reeling from the ‘aftereffects’ of flooding and climate change and the support from the Government is well appreciated.

The fisherman disclosed his plans to purchase new fishing equipment.

“I get to buy some more seine and things for the boat, I hope in time to come we can get more because catches are not at the standard it was before. For example, I used to get 12 bucket shrimps now I only getting five and six.”