Hurricane Beryl did not have a major effect on Tobago fisherfolk with some reporting only minimal losses. However, there were reports that a boat overturned in Charlotteville and a boat sank at Buccoo. When Guardian Media visited Buccoo, fishermen were busy bailing vessels in the heavy rains and rough water. Fishermen said the boat that sank at Buccoo was saved in the “nick of time.”
Curtis Douglas, head of the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (AFTA) said he plans on making personal checks in the various fishing communities as soon as the storm eases. Douglas thanked the fishermen who heeded the warnings and followed the advice of AFTA.
There was a fisherman’s fete on Sunday in Charlotteville and fishermen.
“If they didn’t see it fit to pull up ( pull up their boats on to the sand), there is only so much we can do, we can put things in place, we cannot make them adhere.”
AFTA also provided backhoes for fishermen to drydock their pirogues
Douglas said he was disappointed that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley did not address the people of Tobago. Douglas said Tobagonians felt slighted by the PM.
” Tobago was under a hurricane watch and the Prime Minister of the Republic of T&T didn’t see it fit to address the nation or more so Tobago in this time of challenge. I am really disappointed, Tobagonians are disappointed,” he said.
Douglas said he was not against Faris Al Rawi ordering persons to work but he could not overlook being ignored by the PM.
