EDITOR, The Tribune.
The discriminatory element within the Free National Movement (FNM) government’s Fisheries Bill, 2020 has caused somewhat of a brouhaha within its ranks, with East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham both expressing opposition to it.
On the other end of the spectrum, I would imagine that the group, The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA), which lobbied the former Progressive Liberal Party administration under Mr. Perry Christie to repeal the policy of granting permits to alleged Dominican fishermen married to Bahamian women in 2012, is ecstatic.
For years, Bahamian fishermen have complained about the practice of what seemed like marriages of convenience, in which Dominican men engaged in the fishing sector are marrying Bahamian women. In many instances, these Dominicans can hardly count from one to ten in English, yet are able to say “I do” in perfect English before a Bahamian justice of the peace.
Bahamian spouses of Dominican fishermen have made their bed, now lie in it
Dear Editor,
The discriminatory element within the Free National Movement (FNM) government’s Fisheries Bill, 2020 has caused somewhat of a brouhaha within its ranks, with East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham both expressing opposition to it.
On the other end of the spectrum, I would imagine that the group, the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA), which lobbied the former Progressive Liberal Party administration under Mr. Perry Christie to repeal the policy of granting permits to alleged Dominican fishermen married to Bahamian women in 2012, is ecstatic.
(FILE PHOTO)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA) yesterday commended the government for the tabling and passing of the new fisheries bill, describing it as “progressive”.
The Fisheries Bill, 2020 repeals the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Act, 1977, and seeks to prevent individuals who are not citizens of The Bahamas from engaging in commercial fishing. The Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to ensure that work permits are not granted for commercial fishing, was also passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
The BCFA said yesterday in a statement: ”The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance commends the government for the tabling and [passing] of the new Fisheries Bill. The unanimous consent solidifies the lower house’s agreement to the bill and we anticipate the same for the upper house in due course. The new fisheries bill replaces the Bahamas Fisheries Resource Jurisdiction Act and is a progressive bill contai
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest has criticised as discriminatory a provision in a new Bill that would prevent foreigners from engaging in commercial fishing in The Bahamas.
Mr Turnquest’s comment in the House of Assembly yesterday followed the contribution of Marco City MP Michael Pintard concerning the new Fisheries Bill 2020, which will replace the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Act, 1977 when passed.
A key provision of the bill says: “No person shall engage in fishing, or be employed on a commercial fishing vessel for fishing other than sport fishing in the fisheries waters; and use or be employed on a commercial fishing vessel licenced under this act for fishing other than charter sport fishing, unless that person is a citizen of The Bahamas.”
CEI: Sharks generate $114 mil. annually as ecotourism attraction
One month after Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard suggested that it is up for debate whether to continue the full protection of sharks in The Bahamas, or allow for commercial harvesting on a temporary basis, The Bahamas is being praised in international circles for having the healthiest shark population in the region, which brings $114 million into the country annually as an ecotourism attraction.
A press statement, released by the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI), The Moore Charitable Foundation and Global FinPrint at Florida International University, explained that one of CEI’s studies determined that much of that $114 million is injected into “economically depressed areas like the Family Islands”, by ecotourists.