Shastri Boodan
Freelance Correspondent
Tobago fisherfolk say they suffered minimal losses as Hurricane Beryl passed just north of the island early yesterday morning. But they were left upset and disappointed by the Prime Minister not offering advice to the people of Tobago, as initially the hurricane was set to directly hit the island.
There were reports that a boat overturned in Charlotteville and another almost sank in Buccoo.
Yesterday, Buccoo fishermen were busy bailing water out of their vessels in the heavy rains and rough seas.
Fishermen said the boat that began to sink at Buccoo was saved in the “nick of time.”
Curtis Douglas, head of the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (AFTA), said he plans on making personal checks in the various fishing communities as soon as the storm conditions ease.
Douglas said fishermen who heeded the warnings and followed the advice of FTA managed to prevent their vessels from suffering serious damage. He said AFTA also provided backhoes for fishermen to drydock their pirogues. But he said not everyone heeded their advice. Douglas said there was a fisherman’s fete on Sunday in Charlotteville, and fishermen in that community chose to do their own thing.
“If they didn’t see it fit to pull up (their boats onto the sand), there is only so much we can do; we can put things in place, but we cannot make them adhere,” Douglas lamented.
He said he was disappointed that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley did not address the people of Tobago. Douglas claimed Tobagonians felt slighted by this.
“Tobago was under a hurricane watch, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of T&T didn’t see it fit to address the nation, or more so Tobago, in this time of challenge. I am really disappointed, Tobagonians are disappointed,” he said. Douglas said he was not against Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi stating that public servants had to report to work, but hearing nothing from the Prime Minister had left him angry.
“We are very much disappointed and disgruntled by the behaviour of the Prime Minister by not addressing the nation at this time.”