Controversy surrounding the 15 Korean fishing boats docked at Morgan’s Bluff, North Andros and a mother ship in Grand Bahama seems to have simmered, but an opposition member of Parliament warned Wednesday “Bahamians have not forgotten” and have a “right to know” the boats’ status.
“I understand and can verify that individuals, particularly on the mother ship, who claim to be now involved in this project, seem to be free to go and come on the ship whenever at liberty and whenever they wish,” said the MP for South Abaco, Robert Sweeting, in the House of Assembly.
Mr. Sweeting called for ministers responsible to speak up and give information on the status of the boats, and the Korean people.
“Are they still here. How much longer are they expected to be here. Are they expected to be given work permits to work on these boats,” Mr. Sweeting questioned.
“I believe that the Bahamian people have a right to know the status of this [Korean boats] as soon as possible. I believe the Bahamian people, particularly the fishermen, are being very patient because they take the government at their word.”
Mr. Sweeting said he hoped The Bahamas would never reach a point whereby people come all the way from Korea to fish. He also recalled taking a stand in Parliament against the former minister of fisheries in regard to long line fishing.
“We still disagree and we are still friends, but I take the same view today that I took from 1992 to 2002, that if all of our Bahamian fishermen don’t have the expertise to fish, let’s teach them,” he said. The South Abaco MP said despite what others think or say about Bahamian fishermen, those fishermen in Andros have made “real strides” in the last 10 years in an effort to upgrade the fishing industry.
“Let us not allow people all the way from Korea to come into our waters and deplete our fishing grounds,” he said.
Holy Cross MP, Sidney Stubbs, said many people may talk about Korean’s fishing and “other sorts” of fishing, but told members to take time out to “get the facts.”
“No Bahamian, regardless of race, colour or creed would tell any foreign entity, be they Korean, Cuban, Mexican, American or whatever nationality that they could fish in these waters in this Bahama land. Nobody in their right mind would tell them, if you know the fisheries conservation act of The Bahamas, ” Mr. Stubbs charged.
Mr. Stubbs said if a Bahamian goes outside the shores of The Bahamas and secures funding to go into fishing or any other industry, it is his/her inherent right.
“Nobody should beat him up or knock him down for that, and nobody should talk about which lobby and all of that. They brought something and there is nothing wrong with it,” Mr. Stubbs said.
Speaker Oswald Ingraham told Mr. Stubbs it was obvious where the debate was likely to go and before it got there, he must adhere to the Bill at hand οΎ— a Bill to provide for the establishment of the Clifton Heritage Authority.
In response to the Speaker’s demands, Mr. Stubbs said he only wanted to make it clear that any Bahamian who had a right to finance an entity, also had the right to procure financing and take whatever necessary legal steps within the context of Bahamian law, while informing the relevant authorities.
Controversy surrounding the boats came to a head last November, when the boats were brought into the country by Netsiwill Holdings LTD.,, a company reportedly owned by Earlin Williams, former consultant at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation.
Mr. Williams told The Guardian on Dec. 10, that his company legally owns the boats. He claimed the government had not put in writing under what authority it acted in ordering the boats had to leave the country.
Tamara McKenzie, The Nassau Guardian
