 Hello again, St. Lucia, and welcome to the program, Agriculture on the Move. My name, Philip Sidney, your host. And of course, even if I mentioned agriculture, but we are under the umbrella of agriculture, fisheries, full security, and rural development. And that takes me straight into our program today, which, of course, I have two Fisher representatives here in the studio, and to my immediate right is Adriana Charles, who is the manager of the Fisheries Cooperative Society. And next to her is Mr. Emmanuel John, who is also a member of that cooperative. And of course, we all know him as A.K.E. Rabbit. Welcome to the program, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you very much. OK, Ms. Charles, I'll start with you. I know your membership is pretty broad, and it takes in castries, which is banan, and of course, in Sansu Sea. So tell us, what's your membership like? Presently, we have about 170 members. 170 members, that is a combination of banan members and castries members, the castries complex members. What's the situation with what sort of activities, what services do you all give to your members? Well, in the past, prior to COVID, the members would get a lot of benefits from the cooperative. We assisted the members in terms of scholarship for their children. The members would get medical assistance for themselves. And the members are still getting what is called a burial assistance. We still assist the members with that. And that's basically what we assist the members with. I know some time ago, the members, I remember a gentleman on his pass now. I mean, Tikamu was pushing for a pension for the members. Did that come through? I'm happy you mentioned the pension for the members. For years, board of directors and management of the castries cooperative, they paid them members a pension. I think about 30 or 40 members were getting pension from the cooperative. But at some point, I had to stop because what is happening is that the members will be getting the pension. But there's the money will be coming from our account. No one was actually putting some money to the cooperative towards that pension. So at some point, especially due to the effects of COVID, we had no choice but to put a stop to the pension. But as a sitting manager, what I have done, I've met with NIC a couple of times regarding the pension. And then what they have said to me and have also conveyed that message to the members is that even if they are not their self-employed, they have to see themselves as self-employed persons. So what they can do is just take account of the catch on a daily basis and just take a record of it, I should say, and they can convey that message to that can use them. They can use that information to get pension. So what they can do, like on a monthly basis, they can come into NIC or they can do it through the cooperative. Come into the cooperative, say, we can take a list of their names. You come in and say, you know, I'm going to put $5 towards my pension for any of them. And so when it adds up, then we can take touch of that and then we can be part of it for them. But so far it has not become, the one has really taken that up. Robert, as a member, how do you see that happening? Well, I would say to see that happening is like, most of the members, we, the members, have to contribute a certain amount to what is our pension scheme like. Whereas we, in the long run, well, government, many other institutions has come in and try and, you know, seek a pension or so for us. But when they hear the behavior or attitude that is not really, cannot function. But the thing is, you almost understand that it's a business you're running here and you almost treat it as a business because there is nothing wrong at the end of your catch, like the manager said, end of the month. To put aside something at an IC, you know, that will benefit you all in the long run. Yeah, I try, I've mentioned it to them many times. You come from a sea and you have a catch. First thing you take out is your gas money, right? Then you go around, get in the other things and so on. But there should be a consideration of your welfare for tomorrow, you know, but it's hard, you know. Instead, like you know and I know or whatever, whatever the little profit is or whatever, we go straight to the rum shop. And nothing for health, nothing to put aside. No, tomorrow we go again, see if we catch. Okay, with that said, where does the young persons coming into the business? Have you all seen over the years, like as we speak, what's the age group, do you have any young people gravitating to go fishing? No, I must say at our cooperative we don't really have that many young persons that are even interested in partaking in the fishing industry. Hence the reason why a couple of years ago we had, as part of our activities for Fisher's Swiss, we brought it into the secondary schools and into the Saafi and Miss Community College. We had what was called a fishing competition where we had t-shirts printed for the students and then we used Miss Samuel John and Mr. Hapshaw, who's also a member of our cooperative, to take the young people to, you know, they had a nice adventure at sea. It was a fishing expedition and we were able to let them, the persons that caught the biggest fish or something like that, we were able to give them a price and what they had to do, they had to write an essay based on the experience at sea. It was a very, very, very eventful event. It was very productive. So we went to sometime in the near future to have that type of, because it's about time I believe that fishing, about then I add that to the arms school program. Yes, it's about time that happened because some people see fishers as persons that they don't have education, so, and it's about time also that I must say that they should have, they should have criteria to become official. Some persons they are school dropouts, they don't go to school and say, you know what, I ain't go to school, I stop going to school, so I'll just go at the fishing. And then I think it's about time that the same way, if you have to get a job. It's a skill. Right. But they need to have, they need to have certain something for the fishers. You cannot just take a boat and say, here I'm going to have to take my captain. I think it's about time that some go and look into that, to that persons must be trained. You don't just take a boat and go out there, you must be trained. You must be certified to go out there to venture. But if we think in conjunction with the department of fisheries, do you all have ongoing training for your fishers and also trying to lure young people into fishing? Not to my knowledge. We don't have something that you also explore? That is very, very interesting, I should say. Yeah. But we don't have that at this point. You have been a member of that company for how long? Ram Rabbit. Over 40 something years. 40 something years, yeah. And you have not, have you trained any young person to take over from you when you decide to depart? Yes, I have. And what happened? Many, very many. And they got success into it, got their own boat and the remarks now are just, Ram Rabbit taught me. Okay, okay, okay, okay. I notice in terms of assistance to the fishers, I look at the lockers that you all have here and also in Banan. I mean, to me, they are not up to par. I mean, what is it, what's really happening? Well, I must say, I must admit that the lockers are, they are, I should say they are dilapidated because number one, I believe all corporatives, members are assigned, each member is assigned to a locker room and then based on the contract that we have with the members, they suppose they're supposed to be charging them at least $25 for the locker rooms or the corporatives charge them away. But our members, no one has paid anything towards the locker room. Why is that? I noticed, for example, in Rosalie, in January and other places, I find they are much more organized than the Cassius Fishermen Cooperatives. Just as I was at the meeting last night and in a particular area and you're talking about building new lockers and the guys are paying like I think either $25 to $3 for the use of the locker. Lockers and they're doing well. So why, what's happening to Cassius Fishermen? We have renovated the lockers, we have had, there was some time back a couple of years ago, we actually went, well not we, the former board, they actually changed all the padlocks on the locker room so that at least, to show them members that we are serious. And then what they did was, I feel the next day most of them just cut off the padlocks, they put on the new padlocks and we have brought police there so many times. So much the members, some of them are actually living there. People that are not bona fide members, you want a locker room, you cannot even access a locker room because other persons that are not members of the cooperative just take over the locker room. So it has been a challenge over the years and I really don't know what else we can do to have these operations run smoothly. I really don't know, we tried our utmost. Okay, okay, okay. I know the Ministry of Fisheries, or the Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture assisted, provided some devices, tracking devices for the boats and so on. How did that go with you all? Well, I guess what happened is with these devices, they came like I think first to us, to our department and experimented it and everything, which with just one device went out and since then we haven't heard much of them but only the remark was like in January, view fought, it was just all spread all out and now I think they're backing up, most of them are backing up on it, getting the knowledge of why and what it's for and then they just, before they came back to us and you know, try and finish assisting us. But it's a very good idea. We were at the meetings at the Fisheries Department and we all discussed why and what and certain discussions were like mainly concerning the range of it, you understand? If one would get out of panic, another island would be able to assist and it didn't really matter, which I know of my knowledge, you know? So it couldn't have worked, I don't know what other device they have bought. So you said the present devices, as far as your concern, it doesn't have that reach? I thought it didn't, no. Where is this? So the authorities know that? I mean, did you all? They don't, they are the new. So what's going to happen now moving forward? Well, what I must say first of all about the devices are most of the members declined the device. Why? I don't know, most of them declined the device but we've had so many issues with distress at sea so I'm seeing this as a very good initiative from government, you know, for the members and most of the members. I think it's just about six members of our cooperative. I guess some of them don't know about it but just about the device. It's what they said, they already have their own device, they don't really need it so. But what Mr. Emmanuel said, I just want to add to what he said was that at the meeting that we had with the fissures regarding the device, that the fissures, when the fissures reached a certain range, a certain distance at sea, it would not be any coverage. But at least there's some coverage. There is. There's no coverage, it's the same. Yeah, but the question that I asked was, our neighbouring country, right, which is French, Martinique, would give us first assistant, couldn't get us, you know? No, it's out of the range of it, right there. So are you saying that the devices were not adapted for our system or should we get under the certain device that is more sophisticated? Not really the sophistication of it, it was just like international one. Oh, international one, yeah, okay, okay. You can pick up more. Pick up, yeah. Worldwide, like on a small scale, yeah. Anyway, we do follow our first break. You're watching Agriculture the Move, stay tuned, we'll be back soon. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development is placing heavy emphasis on the concept of food security. It's our prosperity, our future. There are business opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture. If you are involved in this sector, or you are a member of the Fisher's Cooperative, you are entitled to rebate on fuel consumed. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development also provides technical support and training as well as juvenile fish for aquaculture or aquaponics farmers. If you are interested in business opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture, you can contact the Chief Fisheries Officer at 468-4135 for further details. Welcome back to the program, Agriculture on the Move and of course with me is Jeanna Charles, the manager of the Fisheries Cooperatives and also a member of the Cooperative as Mr. Emmanuel John Elias or Ikii Rabit, or everybody know Rabit, so no matter where you go, you know Rabit. Okay, Fisherman Fisher is supposed to be when? Sir, be it when? Tomorrow. Tomorrow, 29th? Yes. Okay, I know you have been preparing for that. Yes. Over the few weeks. Tell us about why is it that you want to sell the Fisherman's Fist? Officials Fist, or the Fisherman's Fist of Food, I know you have women involved now. Yes. First of all, I'd like to make one correction to my introduction. I'm the manager of Castery's Fisheries Cooperatives, but Fisheries Cooperatives. All right. So Fisherman's Fist, it is celebrated every June 29th and this is a term where the members meet. They forget about, well, some of them still go out to sea, but there's a term where they forget about the sea, they come in, they spend time with their family, they eat, they drink their thing, their church service and so forth. So over the years, it has been more, what persons would show up at Fisherman's Fist before, but it's like now some of the Fisheries have lost their zeal. But it is something that most of them look out for on a yearly basis. So there are some that you might even find members coming to meetings, but Fisherman's Fist, see persons will show up. They will not come to that service, but at the main event, you'll find persons will show up. So this year, our theme for Fisherman's Fist is a theme from the Department of Fisheries. It is one ocean, one planet, one plate, uniting aquatic food, sorry, standards, and ocean health. This is the theme for this year's Fisher's Fist and it is for all the Fishermen's Cooperative. So the activities we've had thus far, we had a karaoke and games night, we had a karaoke at the bar, we have a beautiful bar, in Fisher's Paradise at the gas station. So we had our karaoke night, a few Fisheries came this Sunday at a good time. We had also our members, regular customers who also sang everybody at a good time at the bar. And what we've had again was we had an interview with Hit FM, we had that yesterday, we had the same model and another member was present and as we are here today. Also today, we have a cleanup campaign by the Bay and we also have a fishing competition today. So the members will be getting their prizes on tomorrow at the official ceremony, where they'll be getting their awards for the most cash because we want to include the Bannon members because as you know most of the Bannon members, they do fish, port fish. So we have included them in that, so we have the most fish and the biggest fish. So we also tomorrow is our grand activity where we'll be having a church service at 840 M. Adam Methodist Church that is by SNS and then following that we'll be having the procession or the match to the complex where you'll have the blessing of the boat and then the roof, they'll be laying the results so you have to remember the members will not realize that. Yes, so presently we have two members that are the person that have been buried as yet. And then following that activity, we'll be having our official ceremony upstairs at the gas station. We have a beautiful conference room there so we'll be having our activity there. Okay, well as you mentioned the two of your fallen men, I know one of them, Parwait. Yes. That's one of them, he's a good fisherman. Yes. He contributed meaningfully to the fishers' activities and castries. Well, that's his soul as you move on. You said that over the years the participation at your activities have been dwindling. Why is that? Because what I should say is that the lavish fishers' fees we used to have in the past, we cannot afford to have it anymore. So I think as a consequence, before we used to go out there maybe rent different places, different venues to have the fishers' fees, but now we cannot afford to have that lavish type of, because I know other companies where they have events following prior to fisherman's fees to raise funds, or they have dances, they have stuff like that, but with us, our members, they usually just come to the grand event and just, that's it. But is there some way where you all can get them involved to have that drive, like you said, for the recent drive, do you not interest it? What I have thought of doing in the past and I have appraised the members of that is to have, we don't have to have that lavish thing every year, but the members themselves can get involved by, we have, by the complex right there, they can have their own booths. Let us make fisherman's fees a grand event where we can invite the public. You have your booth, you sell your fish, you sell your drinks. You know, it doesn't have to be the same all the time, so that is a way I believe that it would have the members interacting with the public. They can even have them things on display, how to make fish pork, you know, all of these things you can bring into the fisherman's fees activity, but what some of them have said in the past is give them Bama Lajapito. Yeah, Bama Lajapito, so. But I believe we're going for maybe next year, if I'm still around, I think this is something that we really have to look into, but we have to start very early. Robin, as a fisherman, but she's speaking from an official standpoint, but you as a fisherman, why do you think that your other fishermen, folk like yourself, are not eagerly involved in activities that is organised by the society, by the cooperative? First of all, I should say that not even to patronise something from our department, where we sell our normal fishing equipment, they're not even really prepared for that. Did you patronise that? Not quite, no, they go elsewhere, such as other places, where they maybe at the end of the year they just get a calendar, whereas when they patronise from there they get their refunds and different things. But why? Have you all found out why? It's competition, I would say, and the more we try to tell them we bring new stuff in, we go out and get new stuff, different things, meetings and everything, they don't even come to the meeting to hear anything. With a fisherman, it's always like he has the best bait to catch the biggest fish. So it's a question of competition? So there's no togetherness? Not quite. I would not just say it's a question of competition, I would say it's also a question of the prices of the goods, because we buy our stuff, they would buy stuff at, I would not mention the businesses, they would be able to get their goods by containers, several containers. The result, by getting your buy-buy bulky items, you can sell yourself at a cheaper price. But if we just buy something from the Caribbean and from the second person, sometimes you get directly to the main supplier, but you find the markup on our items will be a bit higher. So as a consequence, the fishers divert to other companies to purchase their stuff at a cheaper price. Like Mr. Immanuel rightly indicated, by buying from other places, they don't get, that you dismiss them from getting any patronage refund or dividends, but if you buy from the corporate, at the end of the day, you see making an extra dollar that you will spend elsewhere, you're getting it right back for your dividends and your patronage refund. But my thing, moving forward, I'm thinking, have you all explored all the possibilities of getting them together, apart from purchasing stuff, but to do things together, are you all getting training for them on a regular basis together with the Department of Fisheries? No, the members don't get training on a regular basis. The members have gotten training, they do get training off and on, but it is not something that happens regularly. But Ravi, as a fisherman, you think that is something that you also recommend? We have been recommending it years and years ago, and the departments, the bigger departments and so, seems to come in, just make the meeting, and then we don't see them after. It just goes and it dies out until another project comes up, and then they want us to participate in it, but we didn't get the training from the first one. I understand. That's why I'm pleading all the time to get the other departments concerning the fisheries sector to come in and do the training with the fishers. Presently now, I mean, to get a young fisher into fishing now, I can tell you, that is so difficult. That's what we mean. You got a few of them, but the thing is, they do it on a recreational basis. I have a few of them which I take out, get their rods, get everything and so, and they do their fishing and they appreciate it. They run competition with, I mean, female, with male, but it's like a pleasure. It's always a pleasure, but at the same time, they train themselves too, they do the work at the hotel and try to understand how the fish is caught before they can, or when served in it. So you don't see moving forward, maybe advocating to the ministries, to the department of fisheries, to get the young people involved, get the ladies involved. Treat it as a business. And do you know what you think? I totally believe that this should happen. What I must say, and I've noticed over the years and I will say it without any remorse, is that I find that the fishers are being neglected. They are being neglected. It's like they are fishermen, and you know, most of our members, I believe that the fishermen, I don't know, they're not getting the attention that they need, because I have, in my capacity as a manager, I have gone to several ministers to beg for assistance for the members. We have the abandoned members right now, they have no toilet facility. They have nothing. They use the beach right there. They have the cruise ship, the tourist person right there, and the boat seat, all of these things. So I have mentioned all of these things. We need to help to, our jetty is damaged. We need a jetty. It's a lot, I have asked for a lot of assistance for the members, but it's like, I don't know what to do anyway. Don't stop. Keep on trying. I have a passion for them, and I will continue. We already come to the end of the program. We want to thank you, Andrea, for being here. Rabbit, thank you again. And of course, don't stop the battles. Continue the fight, because it's a non-ending fight until you can see success. Thank you again, I wish you success. In your feast, I'm hoping tomorrow I should be able to participate. No drinks. Thank you. You've been watching Agriculture on the Move. Thank you for being in the program. And remember, agriculture is our business. And of course, fisheries is our business too, because we need a protein to eat. I'm Philip Sidney, say goodbye, and see you again. Thank you again for being here.