Fisher folks along the East Coast corridor today received the one-off 150k cash grant.
The distribution of the one off cash grant was spearheaded by Vice President Dr. Bharat Jagdeo and Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.
The distribution was done at the Lusignan Community Centre and Unity Ballfield centre where hundreds of fisherfolk were present.
Addressing the gathering at Lusignan, Vice President Jagdeo underscored the importance of this distribution. He told the gathering the Government will continue to support the fisher folks while urging persons to be honest during this exercise.
“We don’t want to get the bad name we are trying to help people,” the VP said while reflecting how they were some mishaps during the flood relief cash grant for farmers.
“When we had the big floods a few months ago in several areas and we set aside about $8B to help people and then the moment we announced everybody becomes farmer and everybody started losing everything” Jagdeo said.
This is why he urged them to be honest during this distribution process.
Additionally, our team also spoke with, some fishermen who highlighted that indeed the grant will bring major relief to them while noting that catches have been low.
“I happen this happen at least it go help because right now fisherman getting a hard time at sea […] it better than nothing,” said Charran Ramadar a fisherman.
He was backed by his peer Satrohan Rambaran who added “This here go help all of us not only one individual and this is very nice […] and we thank them very much for this and we go accept whatever we get because this go give us a great help towards me and everybody family.”
Meanwhile, Raj Singh said “ It go help me a lot because sometime we go sea and we get nothing but we glad for it […] if I can get grocery and save a little out of it I go glad.”
The distribution at these two sites amounted to over $180M. In May, President Irfaan Ali announced the one-off cash grant aimed at helping fisherfolk.
