Fishermen of the Newtown community will soon benefit from a vending stall and washroom facility. The contract for the facility is in excess of seventy thousand dollars.
Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau South constituency Honourable Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite says the new facility was much needed due to the poor conditions of the previous building.
“We knew how the place looked like. The old public convenience was in a deplorable condition and it did not augur well for the people of Newtown, and we needed to restore pride and dignity in our people. I think the fishermen in the community welcome the project and they will be able to sell their fish in a much better condition,” Honourable Hypolite stated.
The Parliamentary Representative says training sessions will be conducted for the fishermen to ensure they are knowledgeable about fish preservation.
“When you talking about sale of fish, you look at the sanitization and we will make available pipes so if they want to clean the fish for customers, they are able to in a clean setting. We are also going to provide much needed training for the fishermen in that area, so that we can sensitize them on the preservation of fish and how important it is to preserve the fish because these things can have effects on the consumer,” the Roseau South MP explained.
Honourable Hypolite also expressed her thanks to the board of the Newtown fisheries cooperative for financing the newly renovated Fisheries Cooperative which is located in Newtown.
“Post Hurricane Maria the fisheries building was destroyed and I want to say hats off to the board of the Newtown Fisheries Cooperative for using their funds to renovate the building and I think the community today is proud that we have now begun operations, and we are now able to sell ice and to rent coolers to the public,” she explained.
The Parliamentary Representative encouraged residents to take ownership of the projects. She says it is important to maintain a good working relationship with the cooperation.
“The fisheries they are operating and on a small scale, but with the help from the Government and their Pal Rep. And we are working together and I think that consultation is key. It’s important for us to keep the communication lines open between the Pal Rep and the fisheries cooperative because it belongs to the community. And I really want the community to take ownership of these two projects, one where the fishermen will be vending, and two the fisheries cooperative.
Meantime, Treasurer of the Newtown Fisheries Cooperation Edwina Pryne says the building will serve as a multi-purpose facility to fishermen and constituents.
“The public convenience was here before, it was an eye sore, and a breeding ground for rats. So we were very happy that this was able to be destroyed and no we can now have a more aesthetically pleasing space for the fishermen to vend and it will also compliment what the fisheries is trying to achieve in terms of helping the fishermen as much as possible. So this can be their area where they can get their ice, set sail, anchor their boats, sell their fish and just be a one stop shop for the fishermen of the community. The public convenience area will also serve the less fortunate of the community, so this will just boot the entire surroundings and the community on a whole,” Ms. Pryne stated.
Contractor for the Newtown Vending Stall and Washroom Facility Sherlock Robinson gave details of what the facility will entail.
“Four vending stalls with its own water supply and drainage system will be constructed, which will make it easier for the fishermen to be able to clean up. And a washroom facility will be constructed at the back of it,” Robinson explained.
Acting City Clerk of the Roseau City Council Mr. Thomas Baptiste says he is pleased to see the commencement of this project.
“The Roseau City Council really didn’t have the funds to do any sort of renovation works in respect to the facility, and so as part of the MP for Roseau South campaign promise to the people of the Newtown Constituency, that some work was going to be done in respect to making the area a little bit more conducive. So we had to eradicate the old structure which was an eyesore, and we are building a facility which can cater for the needs of the people of the Newtown area. So we are quite pleased with that undertaking,” Baptiste added.