President of the All-Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA), Curtis Douglas, says he is uncertain how much of the $50 million allocated to the Tobago House of Assembly will reach affected fishermen.
During a media conference last week, Douglas predicted unrest if the allocation was not disbursed to Tobago to provide some form of urgent relief for the fishermen.
At the time of the media conference, Douglas reported that six months after the oil spill neither fisherfolk nor contractors involved in clean-up operations had been paid.
The THA subsequently received the allocation from the central government hours after Douglas' media briefing.
Speaking on CNC3’s The Morning Brew today, Curtis Douglas said fishermen submitted estimated claims totalling some $13 million but were unsure about the timing and delivery of the relief.
“I don’t know if that was given for the fisherfolk,” the ATFA spokesman said. “I don’t know. I’m only being presumptuous. I don’t know if that was given for the fisherfolk or for the contractors.”
Douglas also noted that the only relief provided so far was a $1,000 grant, which was given to 100 affected fishermen.
“The $50 million is not enough,” he asserts. “AFTA is making a request that a special team be put together to go down to the Minister of Finance or to the Prime Minister, or to the powers-that-be from Tobago, to make that claim and carry the evidence of the losses that we sustained.”
According to Curtis Douglas, several fisherfolk had their boat engines—valued at $80,000 to $140,000 minimum—completely damaged from the oil spill. In addition, to repair those boats would have cost at least $30,000 per vessel, quite apart from the destruction of the tools of their trade—fishing nets, pots, ropes and pads.
The AFTA spokesman further claimed that the barge involved is still leaking oil.
He maintains that the authorities have neglected the sector’s concern on the issue.