February 5 ,2021
The identity of the holder of the two controversial trawling licences continues to be a mystery, as fisher folk here and in neighbouring Trinidad are unacquainted with the name Rampersaud Sookhdeo, the man purported to have had operations in the twin-island republic, according to the Ministry of Agriculture
President of the Carli Bay Fishing Association, and member of Fisherman and Friends of the Sea, Imtiaz Khan, who has been a part of the fishing industry for years in Trinidad and Tobago, yesterday told Stabroek News that they are unfamiliar with the name of the individual and the name of the operations.
“We are not aware of any operator under that name or even the name Haseed Enterprise. It just doesn’t ring a bell to us,” was his response to a query from this newspaper.
He stressed further that the majority of the industry comprises artisanal fisher folk and many are familiar with the large fishing operations. He said this, to point out that if Sookhdeo’s operations did indeed exist in the twin island, fisher folk would have been familiar with it.
Khan went on to explain that he even checked with Director of Fisheries, Nerissa Lucky, but she was unaware of the company or individual.
“I even checked with our Director of Fisheries but the name doesn’t ring a bell to her. We have 128 trawlers registered and operating in different levels but the name doesn’t ring a bell,” Khan iterated.
After two months of being secretive about the deal, the Ministry of Agriculture on Monday finally released the name of the owner of two trawling licences. The ministry named Sookhdeo, of La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara – a re-migrant, who it said ran fishing operations in Trinidad and Tobago, as the holder of the licences.
The release from the ministry on Monday said that records indicate that Sookhdeo has been in the fishing industry for over fifteen years and was operating under the name Haseed Enterprise in Trinidad and Tobago. He owns four trawlers (shrimp, red snapper, cage fishing, long liner fishing). He employs a number of Guyanese in his operations but was forced to relocate from Trinidad to Guyana because of COVID-19 restrictions and regulations.
President of the Guyana Association of Trawler Operators and Seafood Proces-sors (GATOSP), Ruben Charles, when contacted on Wednesday told Stabroek News, “The association wants to know who this person is. We have never heard of him and no one in the fishing industry seems to know who it is.”
The individual in question has also not come forward.
It is unclear why a recent re-migrant from Trinidad would be given licences in breach of an agreement with GATOSP, jeopardising its international certification on sustainable fishing.
When this newspaper made enquiries in the West Coast community on Monday afternoon, villagers were unsure of the person being referred to. Stabroek News during its visit was directed to an address where a person with that name resides but verification efforts were unsuccessful as the man was not at home and his wife who spoke to the reporter via phone said her husband was out of the country and she was in no position to comment.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had weeks ago told this newspaper that the licences were granted to “locals who are reputable fishermen.”
He had stated that approval of the new licences does not breach the quota of vessels that can operate nor does it threaten the international certification of the trade.
Guyana holds the position as the number one exporter of seabob shrimp. In 2019 almost 21,000 metric tonnes were exported, versus 2018 when 22,000 metric tonnes were shipped out.
Based on the export figures, GATOSP had said that the new licences have the potential of decimating the industry and gives cause for their Maritime Steward-ship Council (MSC) certification to be revoked as it goes against their agreement for sustainable operations.
According to the extant agreement with GATOSP, no more than 87 vessels should be operating in the industry. The minister however had pointed out that some licences are currently dormant.
Mustapha had justified the approval by explaining that several licences are inactive and the current number of trawlers operating does not exceed 80, while contending that it does not go against the agreement in place with GATOSP and international partners.