Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 24/01/2025 07:19

Chief Sec: THA did not get money to compensate fishermen

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says the Ministry of Finance did not give any funding to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to compensate fishers whose livelihoods were affected by the oil spill on February 7, 2024. He made the statement on January 23 in response to a question from Minority Leader Kelvon Morris during the plenary sitting, Assembly Legislature, Scarborough. It came three days after members of the Tobago Unified Fisherfolk Association (TUFA) hosted a news conference to chastise the THA over the lack of compensation for fishermen affected by the oil spill. TUFA spokesman Allyson Thomas complained that several members of the association, which she claimed comprises 40 to 50 people, have received no compensation from the THA. She said the effects of the oil spill are still being felt. In June, Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced that $50 million would be given to the THA to deal specifically with the costs associated with the oil spill. At that time, Augustine said the sum was insufficient, noting that the THA had requested $153 million. At the plenary sitting, Augustine said, “Let me be even more clear that the Ministry of Finance has not disbursed any funding to the Tobago House of Assembly for compensation to fishers. Only $50 million was given to service bills or invoices for the oil spill clean-up.” He added, “Let me go on record to say that the Tobago House of Assembly has spent in excess of that $50 million, which means that we are, in fact, reprioritising, cutting internally to ensure that we can service those invoices and we are saying to our fishers that because we have no control over the process by ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd), $2 million is to assist the industry while they go through the process with ITOPF to get their real compensation.” Regarding the mechanisms for procedures to ensure that disbursements to fishers are done in an equitable and fair manner, Augustine said, “Please note Madam Presiding officer (Abby Taylor) that every single step of the way the Tobago House of Assembly and the committee charged with both the oil spill clean-up and treating with proposed compensation to fishers have utilised the services of ITOF to review and assess.” He said the committee that assessed the request for compensation included the “presidents of both competing and warring fishers’ associations on the island. “They have assessed that 47 of the claims are valid and that committee will in a very equitable way, be using an equal per centage point, provide assistance, not compensation to the fishers. “Let me take the opportunity to be pellucidly clear, compensation is paid by ITOPF directly and fishers are required to submit to ITOPF directly for compensation,” he added. The post Chief Sec: THA did not get money to compensate fishermen appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.