Thank you.
I have invited you here today for an announcement for a project that has been underway since September 2018 and is now at the stage, where it requires public engagement. Before that, I would like to introduce you to the people who have joined me today.
Mr. Willie Ferguson is the Chairperson of the grassroots organization M.O.V.E. which stands for Mobilise, Organise, Visualise and Execute; and
MP Jamahl Simmons is here today in his capacity as the Chair of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) Board.
As long ago as 2005, a Government White Paper set out plans for the evolution of Bermuda’s Marine and Fishing Industries. The White Paper stated Bermuda needed a fish Cooperative and 2 Shoreside facilities.
Building plans were submitted to the Department of Planning in 2009, and those plans were approved. Regrettably, the then Recession severely impacted Government’s ability to construct the Facility and the plans were suspended until a more suitable time … that time is now.
Then in 2018 a group of Commercial Fishermen approached the Ministry of Economic Development for help. Several meetings were held, and the meetings culminated in a Cabinet pledge of support for the Fishermen and Industry…after that, the Fishermen approached M.O.V.E.
I will not preempt Mr. Ferguson’s remarks, but I will say that M.O.V.E. is the kind of organization with whom the Government is proud to partner. We wanted to help the group of Fishermen, and M.O.V.E., providing them with formality, and structure. M.O.V.E. also formulated an ambitious Plan that the Fishermen adopted…and it rests on the ‘Blueprint’ that was in the 2005 White Paper.
Fish is a Bermudian staple food. Regrettably, although we live on an island and are surrounded by healthy, crystal clear waters, it is not always easy to purchase local fish, creating an odd circumstance where fishermen sellout their product so cannot satisfy the entire demand. Most customers rely on “a hook up” to find local fish on any given day.
At the same time, over 300 families and homes rely on a Fishermen’s income, and given the uncertainty of weather, gear, and fish, if Fishermen are not fishing, they are not earning; if they are not earning, they cannot meet financial obligations. And, if a Fisherman’s boat needs expensive repairs, their ability to fund those repairs from their earnings and then return to fishing is rather challenging.
It is for those reasons that I am proud to state that when we released the 2020/21 National Budget, the Government allocated $1.5million to establish a Fishing Cooperative and Shoreside Facility. Bermudians may remember that on the 2nd of September the Finance Minister spoke to the media about capital projects that were earmarked for development and which funding had been moved up to the current budget year; the Fishing Cooperative and Shoreside Facility were included.
Mr. Ferguson will now speak about MOVE and its efforts to assist the Fishermen. After he is finished MP Simmons will provide an overview and I will wrap up.
Mr. Ferguson...
Thank you, Chairman Simmons.
The time is right to launch this due to: the Current Situation (amount of imported fish), the need for increased Stewardship of our Ocean, and the need to stimulate of our Economy with capital projects that put Bermudians back to work and provide a better future for Bermudians.
As I close this announcement, I was told a story that piqued my interest.
A tourist couple had come to Bermuda, was staying in an Vacation Rental and the wife who was a good amateur chef, wanted to be able cook local fish for her husband on their last night; a tradition she does on every vacation. They advised the Host on arrival and although they were here for 3 nights and 4 days, they left Bermuda without cooking local fish; the hostess just could not find any fish within that time frame.
We live on an Island, yet local fish appears to be a delicacy. For most of us, buying fish is about luck…you’re driving home and see a sign; or if you’re really connected, a Fishermen will call you and tell you he has fish. But that is not the way we buy local eggs, vegetables, honey, milk, or bread; why is it so different for fish?