FISHERMEN are calling The Tribune wanting to know why the 15 fishing boats anchored in Morgan’s Bluff, Andros, are not yet out of the Bahamas. We don’t know.
In the House of Assembly on November 26, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Alfred Gray said that the boats, because of various irregularities, would not be licensed and would have to “leave the Bahamas forthwith.”
Mr Gray’s exact words were:”As a result of that my Ministry ﾗ and I want all of my colleagues on both sides of the House to hear ﾗ as a result of the requirements not having been met by law and by policy, the government of the Bahamas via the Ministry of Agriculture took a considered position and my ministry today by letter advised Mackay, Moxey and Co, who are acting for both the Bahamian company, and the investors ﾗ the foreign company ﾗ that the boats in the circumstances, will not be licensed, will not be given permits and as a consequence they must leave the Bahamas forthwith.”
He then went on: “Now having said that I am confident that this government has the political will to obey the laws, to enforce the law and the agency of the government which is required to ensure that the boats leave will follow through on those positions and hopefully the boats will be out of our jurisdiction very shortly.”
Mr Gray said his ministry did not have the capacity to remove the boats. However, he assured the House that “when I say this, I speak on behalf of the government that the boats will be ordered to leave ﾗ I say forthwith, but if that is changed it will be changed only by the Prime Minister.”
An angry Prime Minister made himself very clear in the House that the boats were to go. Did he change his mind?
According to a statement made to The Tnbune on Friday Earlin Williams, CEO and principal owner of Netsiwill Holdings Ltd, which claims ownership of the boats, said his company had overcome doubts over its mortgage arrangements and intends to “push on” with its plans once all government regulations have been satisfied.
He said his company intends to establish itself in several fishing communities in the Bahamas ﾗ North Andros, West End, Grand Bahama, Acklins and Crooked Island.
The company’s 94-foot processing ship ﾗ the “mother ship” ﾗ arrived in Grand Bahama on Thursday. It was moored at Bradford Marine for repairs to its hull, but was intended to be berthed at Artis Neely’s marina in West End. The processing ship is a part of Netsiwill’s fishing venture. It is rumoured that the 15-member fleet now in Morgan’s Bluff is to sail for West End.
However, the latest unconfirmed report is that the Defence Force has been instructed to escort the boats from the Bahamas into international waters.
This is indeed going to be an interesting week. This is the week that will prove who runs the government of the Bahamas.
Mr Gray, speaking on behalf of government, assured Bahamians that the boats would leave “forthwith.” The Prime Minister was also very clear on the point.
However, the CEO of the company says the owners are getting everything cleared up with government, and they are proceeding forthwith with their enterprise.
Fishermen are agitated. An Andros fisherman, one of a group who came to Nassau to listen to the House debate, told his MP Vincent Peet on the steps of the House before leaving that he had that terrible feeling that what he heard that day was just a “smoke-screen.” After seeing the ease with which the Koreans go back and forth on the boats, which are meant to be in the custody of Customs at Morgan’s Bluff, and reading what Mr Williams said about “pressing on”, he is now satisfied he was watching a charade in the House ﾗ a “smokescreen”, he called it.
What is interesting is that Mr.Peet is also Immigration Minister, whose ministry was responsible for issuing permits for the Koreans to enter the Bahamas. We might add these were issued in record-tune ﾗ as a matter of fact, from our experience, a miracle was performed. The minister must have found time to have a special meeting for these permits, as we understand he has been unable to find time for more than a month to hold an immigration meeting to deal with urgent and pressing matters. His lack of action is crippling many businesses in this country. But for the Koreans ﾗ well, they must have some special pull.
The position now is that Prime Minister Christie is attending CHOGM in Nigeria, Mr Gray is in Rome attending an FAO agricultural meeting. Godfrey Eneas, the Bahamas UN representative, is attending the same meeting. It was Mr Eneas who, as Deputy Chairman of BAIC, recommended Netsiwill to the Fisheries Department, calling it “an important new venture for the fishing industry of the Bahamas.”
The Prime Minister has ordered the boats to leave. Mr Gray says he is confident gov-ernment has the political will to carry out the order.
We shall see whose “forthwith” carries weight ﾗ Eariin Williams’ forthwith full steam ahead; or government’s forthwith, get out of here.
