The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Fishermen: Dredging is hurting our business. Tribune May 3rd, 2018.

Methinks this dredging has been going on for several months now, as well as driving pilings and all other attendant processes of rebuilding a dock in The Bahamas.

It seems that something recently caught the eye of the former Member for Fox Hill, who is now, I believe, opposition leader in the Senate, and not wanting to lose an opportunity, no matter how late in the day it is.

It seems that he was seen around the Montagu Ramp recently, but not buying any fish, just seeing if he could create what party leader Brave Davis would call some “Political Mischief”.

So, someone complained to all and sundry and finally got the Port Department to come and shut the operation down, notwithstanding that they had signed off on the project several months ago and knew exactly and precisely what was to be done.

But the fishermen can’t sell fish or conch because of the sediment in the water.

By the looks of the massive numbers of ice coolers arriving and departing daily for years now, I don’t think that they are keeping any fish in the sea and never have done.

In fact, my recollection is that before the Montagu Ramp project was approved, there were to be proper fish tables for cleaning fish, with built in drains to catch the fish blood and guts.

The blood and guts so captured, as well as the opened conch shells were to be stored in proper garbage bins and taken away daily.

There was a lot of talk about health and cleanliness, and that buckets of sea water would NOT be used anymore, to wash the fish but instead, fresh water was to be used.

To enhance the health approach toilettes were installed so that the people handling the food, could wash their hands as every other person in the food supply business is required to do.

Perhaps the happy soul taking the picture for today’s paper, would go back and look at the condition of the garbage dumpsters and their surroundings, and the reclaimed land that has been occasioned by the unplanned dumping of conch shells over the sea wall. Perhaps take a picture or two of the unsanitary conditions of the fish cleaning tables and the lack of ice in the ice chests to keep the fish in an sanitary condition and fit for human consumption in the heat of the sun.

It is amazing how people can see the speck of dust in their neighbours eye but cannot see the two by four in their own eye.

MONKEEDOO

Nassau,

May 3, 2018.