Subscribe for notification
Categories: Agriculture

MORE PRESSURE FOR FISHERMEN AS AG FAILS TO UPDATE LAWS

SLOPPINESS by successive Attorneys General Faris Al Rawi and Reginald Armour would bring more pressure on Trinidad and Tobago’s already-suffering fishermen.

Several million dollars worth of fish is exported to countries of the European Union each year, but now that is in danger of being cancelled because T&T has not updated laws to ensure the monitoring of illegal fishing.

A final decision on the matter is to be taken by the European Union (EU), but already T&T has been issued a “red card.”

The EU gave a warning as far back as 2016 about illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, but the Rowley Government took no action.

T&T is also being accused of not regulating activities in its territorial waters” and of “other persistent deficiencies.”

The observation by the EU is consistent with repeated reports of piracy, drug trafficking and other illegal activities in T&T’s waters.

The coastline remains porous, and there is transshipment of illegal drugs and migrants.

The United States Department of State and other international agencies have reported on the lack of proper monitoring and surveillance.

The EU said that illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing is “one of the most serious threats to the sustainable exploitation of living aquatic resources.”

T&T has been classified as an “uncooperative country.”

If the EU vetoes imports from T&T, it would be a further blow to local fishermen, who are already dealing with on-sea piracy, high cost of fuel, and vandalism at their respective depots.

Under the stewardship of Al Rawi and Armour, T&T has also defaulted on other major international commitments.

T&T is on the EU Commission Tax Blacklist for non-compliance.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert has said that measures are being taken to have the country removed from the blacklist, but these steps have not materialised.

In February 2020, T&T was removed from the Financial Action Task Force.

Ken Ali

Recent Posts

EDUCATION IN CRISIS

TEN years after Trinidad and Tobago’s education system reached its highest-ever standard, the World Bank…

2 months ago

ROWLEY’S 10 DISASTROUS YEAR

“LET’S rescue our country,” Dr. Keith Rowley told Trinidad and Tobago 10 years ago.

2 months ago

STUART YOUNG’S SOCIAL MEDIA POLITICS

TODAY’S headline news about Stuart Young’s touted legislative reform on social media is a cocktail…

2 months ago

PETROTRIN-OANDO IS ANOTHER NIQUAN DEAL

FOR several troubling reasons, the Petrotrin-Oando deal is shaping into another billion-dollar Niquan scandal.

2 months ago

T&T SET TO LOSE CASE AGAINST US GUN MAKERS

The US Supreme Court is set to rule against Trinidad and Tobago, several other Caribbean…

2 months ago

PNM PREPARES FOR APRIL POLL

THE ruling PNM is preparing its troops for an April general election.

2 months ago