Two fishing vessels were officially handed over to their new owners on Friday December 2nd, 2022 during a brief ceremony at the Kingstown Fish Market. This handing over signaled the formal deployment of the Fleet Expansion Program, of which the recipients are now the first beneficiaries.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour Hon. Saboto Ceasar said that it is the Government’s aim to ensure that the program succeeds and every effort will be made to accommodate those who want to be involved.
Minister Caesar also noted that efforts will be focused on developing a local boat building industry and in this regard the Minister said that a company based in Trinidad and Tobago is already in the process of leasing a facility to begin a local boat building outlet where they are expected to produce pirogues that will meet the required specifications for the local market.
The Minister added that the Fleet Expansion thrust has also now expanded further to include the acquisition of larger tuna vessels. He stated that funding now stands at 5 million dollars that will be made available through the Kingstown Cooperative Credit Union (KCCU), and that there are currently 85 applicants for pirogues and 4 for tuna vessels, of which one applicant has already made the required deposit on a tuna vessel of $34,000.
