“When I suggested and said that the boats will leave the country forthwith that was the considered position of the government and it is still the position of the government.
“If there are certain legal positions to be considered it should be done,” said the minister in the House of Assembly yesterday. He assured parliament and the public that no fishing was being conducted by the owners of the ship and that the vessels would remain in the control of customs.
Meanwhile, the government is seeking advice from the Attorney General’s Office on several matters relating to the fishing boat fiasco in order to ensure that the foreign boats do leave the country.
These statements came during the morning session of the House in a heated exchange between independent, opposition and government members.
Leader of the Opposition Alvin Smith said the operation would have the serious potential of devastating marine life in the country if allowed to fish as proposed.
“The Minister of Agricultural and Fisheries made a very strong statement that it would not be allowed. The prime minister spoke and was adamant that he has given a directive to leave the country so why are these boats still in the country?
“I also heard that five more Koreans came into the country and since we have discussed that matter, there has been a mother ship that has been allowed in the country and a truck brought into north Andros for these people,” he said.
Last week, Netsiwill, the company at the centre of the controversial Korean boat scandal, confirmed that its 94-foot processing ship was brought into Grand Bahama and was at Bradford Marine for repairs to its hull.
Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt told Mr Smith that, regardless, the government’s position still remains the same.
“I do not know if some of the things the member has said is true. I am not certain about all of it but I want to speak truth as far as I know.
The government has not changed its position as it relates to the boats.
I was told yesterday by the (acting) Minister of Finance (James Smith) that there is a legal matter involved,” she said.
Mrs Pratt said she wanted to assure the public that there was no “hanky panky” going on as it relates to the government.
“I do not want the Bahamian people to think that the government is reneging on what it has said. That is not the case. The prime minister made a statement that relates to the boats that they are not welcome here and that remains so.
“I want the entire country to understand that as a member of this government I do not believe in anything illegal and I don’t believe in anything under the table. I am here to speak about truth as I know it,” she said.
High Rock MP Kenneth Russell brought to the attention of the House the fact that although the processing ship in Grand Bahama was to be impounded by customs, he had visited the ship more than once and there was no customs flag flying from it.
“There are people walking up and down on the ship and a notorious Bahamian is in charge of the ship and I don’t know if government wants to be associated with these people. And if customs has impounded this ship no-one should be on it.
“There is a mother ship in Freeport. The off-loading of the ship was supervised by Artis Neeley of West End and Mailman Bowe was a part of that off-loading ceremony, as was the member of parliament Mr Sidney Stubbs. If this boat was impounded by customs, why is it that Bahamians are on the boat, repairing the boat?” asked Mr Russell. Attorney General Alfred Sears said the 15 ships in Andros were the subject of a notice of seizure which was served in the Customs Department on November 26.
“The matter has been subsequently referred to the Office of the Attorney General. I spoke with another attorney there and we are presently reviewing the matter,” he said Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham asked the attorney general on what ground could the customs department continue to hold on to the boats if the customs duty were to be paid.
Mr Sears said that if the duty were to be paid then they would have to be released. However, he said there are a number of legal issues which the AG’s office is investigating which he was not at liberty to reveal.
“It would be premature for me to say what is being examined but we are giving this matter priority and we will be rendering advice to the relevant government agencies in due course,” he said.
However, Mr Ingraham pointed out that there are a number of problems that government is faced with that they should be considering. “At the end of the day the owners of the boats may refuse to be co-operative and it may well be that we will have to take into consideration certain amendments to the law and it may well be that we will have to take into consideration the things we find objectionable when it comes to the methodology that is being proposed to fishing.
“The boats in Andros are one set of boats but one that came into Freeport is a fish processing boat which is clearly, clearly against all of rules relating to the fishing industry in the Bahamas. Twenty to 25 years ago we discontinued allowing fish processing on the high seas and required persons engaged in business to build processing plants on the land,” Mr Ingraham pointed out.
By Rupert Missick, The Tribune
