Benchmarks for fishing rights
BAB WRITES FROM //KHARAS:
We understand that the new Minister, Dr. Albert Kawana has a daunting task to complete during a very difficult time, meaning on the eve of very challenging regional and local authority elections slated for November 2020.
The southern fishing giants such as Novanam are threatening with retrenchments, which is equally very difficult for the Government to swallow. There is no guarantee that the prospective new rights holders are going to employ about 2 000 workers, leave alone the adverse effects of Covid-19.
So, the Hon. Minister must be very careful with striking a balance between empowering the newcomers and retaining old, major players in the industry.
It is not very easy for a new rights holder to create jobs, to invest into offshore facilities (factories) and to acquire a vessel at the same time in a space of about seven (7) years.
Sometime in March 2017/18, Hon. Maureen Hinda-Mbuende (MP) complained about 25 MPs who had fishing rights previously for over 20 years. Secondly, she complained about 100 small emerging right holders allocated one quota and these beneficiaries being sidelined by some players, especially the rural poor, destitute and formerly disadvantaged etc.
These people were taken on board without benefiting at all and then the registration conditions were changed just to exclude them.
Therefore, this time around the Hon. Minister must consult thoroughly and engage the correct key stakeholders, if he wants to correct the wrongs of the past and redistribute the wealth of the country equitably.
If I were the Fisheries Minister I would have granted fishing rights to the newcomers on condition they partner with fishing giants such as Novanam, but again provided this is done on a regional basis. Meaning, the new right holders in //Kharas Region must partner and/or be accommodated by big existing companies in the same region.
I think enough has been said about the war veterans, liberation veterans and the Robben Island prisoners who have been benefiting every time that they scream.
We understand that the new Minister, Dr. Albert Kawana has a daunting task to complete during a very difficult time, meaning on the eve of very challenging regional and local authority elections slated for November 2020.
The southern fishing giants such as Novanam are threatening with retrenchments, which is equally very difficult for the Government to swallow. There is no guarantee that the prospective new rights holders are going to employ about 2 000 workers, leave alone the adverse effects of Covid-19.
So, the Hon. Minister must be very careful with striking a balance between empowering the newcomers and retaining old, major players in the industry.
It is not very easy for a new rights holder to create jobs, to invest into offshore facilities (factories) and to acquire a vessel at the same time in a space of about seven (7) years.
Sometime in March 2017/18, Hon. Maureen Hinda-Mbuende (MP) complained about 25 MPs who had fishing rights previously for over 20 years. Secondly, she complained about 100 small emerging right holders allocated one quota and these beneficiaries being sidelined by some players, especially the rural poor, destitute and formerly disadvantaged etc.
These people were taken on board without benefiting at all and then the registration conditions were changed just to exclude them.
Therefore, this time around the Hon. Minister must consult thoroughly and engage the correct key stakeholders, if he wants to correct the wrongs of the past and redistribute the wealth of the country equitably.
If I were the Fisheries Minister I would have granted fishing rights to the newcomers on condition they partner with fishing giants such as Novanam, but again provided this is done on a regional basis. Meaning, the new right holders in //Kharas Region must partner and/or be accommodated by big existing companies in the same region.
I think enough has been said about the war veterans, liberation veterans and the Robben Island prisoners who have been benefiting every time that they scream.
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