PRIME MINISTER Freundel Stuart last week disclosed the encouraging news that at least “a temporary fishing protocol” would soon be reached pending a permanent accord with Trinidad and Tobago to resolve conflicts involving Barbadian fishermen in that country’s waters.
The Prime Minister had gone to Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the two-day Fourth CARICOM-Cuba Summit, but seized the opportunity of a private meeting with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to pursue urgent initiatives to resolve this old recurring dispute that has so often provoked tension between the two countries.
It was evident, from what Stuart made known to the media, that both sides were in the mood to work seriously for more than a temporary fishing protocol.
The atmosphere clearly contrasted with the tension that had prevailed when the annual CARICOM Summit took place last July in Basseterre, St Kitts, at a time of tension in relations between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago over the processing of a licence for REDjet to begin commercial operations from Piarco International.
The tension was to evaporate following a meeting in Port-of-Spain of ministers responsible for international transport from Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad. Subsequent developments were to establish that there was more to REDjet’s start-up problems than that operational licence.
By October 10, before the emergence of the latest fishing dispute that involved the very surprising imprisonment and fines for illegal fishing of a group of Barbadian fishermen, Stuart chose the opportunity of his address to the 41st annual general meeting of the Caribbean Shipping Association to make an announcement that would resonate with Persad-Bissessar.
Stuart declared his unequivocal support for Trinidad and Tobago’s deep interest in the establishment of a regional fast-ferry service and commended the administration in Port-of-Spain for, as he said, “taking the bull by the horns”.
Well, while anxiously awaiting the next move on the recommendations outlined in a mandated feasibility study by CARICOM on establishment of the regional fast-ferry project, we look forward to tangible results of the recent arrangements from the Stuart-Bissessar meeting for the proposed fishing protocol.
Like the two prime ministers, their respective CARICOM ambassadors – Edwin Carrington, for Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados’ Robert “Bobby” Morris – would be aware that if fresh bilateral efforts fail to resolve this fishing problem, the Revised CARICOM Treaty provides a disputes settlement mechanism for a range of issues within the context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
Fishing, after all is a trade, one by which fisherfolks not only in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago earn their livelihood and contribute to national/regional development.