The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives has brought significant relief to the fishing community of Old Road through the re-commissioning of the Ice Machine at the Old Road Fisheries Complex, which had been out of operation since March of 2021.

The ice machine was re-commissioned during a ceremony held at the Old Road Fisheries Complex today, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister responsible for Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Honourable Samal Duggins noted that the re-commissioning of the ice machine at the Old Road Fisheries Complex was high on his agenda upon assuming office.

“I could remember when I made the decision to offer myself up to service for the people of Old Road and the entire constituency, I met with the fishers and they explained to me their plight, and I assured them that once elected I would do everything in my power to ensure that that machine would be up and running. Within three months of being elected, I was able to move to get the funds. Of course, there is always processes that one would have to follow and the part that the machine needed had a seven-month turnaround time. We are here less than one year of me being in office and not only has the part been procured but the part is now installed, and the machine is filled with ice,” Minister Duggins said.

Head of the Fish Products Division in the Department of Marine Resources, Mr. Asim Jenkins said while it may appear to some as a simple gesture, a steady and reliable supply of ice is critical to fishers.

He said, “The fishermen in Old Road and the nearby fishing communities depend heavily on the ice to carry out their daily fishing operations to earn their income. The ice is very important. It helps to preserve the fisherman’s catch; it helps by keeping them fresh and wholesome. They also use the ice to store their fish for the next day to be sold. Also, with adequate ice fishermen are able to spend longer periods on the sea, resulting in a bigger catch.”

Meanwhile, Minister Duggins indicated that more plans are being made within his ministry to further develop and expand the services available at the Old Road Fisheries Complex.

“We want to expand the docking facilities as was planned from the beginning. We are ensuring that like the Basseterre Fisheries, you can make this an active site for purchasing fish which has been out of commission for some time. To the people of this area—Old Road, Challengers, all the way down to Sandy Point—who use the facilities, we want to ensure that you have a facility that caters to your needs,” said the Honourable Minister Duggins.

Special commendation was extended to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives, Mr. Miguel Flemming, and the outgoing Director of the Department of Marine Resources for leading the efforts that led to the re-commissioning of the ice machine.

Permanent Secretary Mr. Miguel Flemming