Major General Robert Neish, executive director, Digicel Foundation, accepts a certificate of appreciation from Arlene Linton, president-elect, Kiwanis Club. - CONTRIBUTED
THE NON-PROFIT organisation, Digicel Foundation has moved to bolster the hurricane preparedness capacity of the Fisheries Division by purchasing a 27ft. boat for the Division.
Major General Robert Neish, Executive Director of the Digicel Foundation has given the commitment that the boat will be handed over to the Fisheries Division "within a week."
The Foundation's assistance to the Fisheries Division comes on the heels of an assessment carried out by the Office of National Reconstruction and other government-led teams which reveal that the Marine and Aquaculture sectors were dealt a harsh blow by Hurricane Ivan, sustaining losses totalling some $2.7 billion.
Delivering the keynote address at Monday evening's meeting of the Kiwanis Club of St. Andrew at Liguanea Club in New Kingston, Major General Neish announced that the boat would be used to recover 'ghost fish traps' in Jamaica's coastal waters, in the aftermath of any turbulent weather including hurricanes, storms and flooding.
"Ghost fish traps are those traps whose markers are washed away during rough seas. Usually fishermen have difficulty locating and recovering the traps," explained Major General Neish.
Bemoaning the fact that some 18,000 Jamaican fisherfolk were adversely affected by Hurricane Ivan, Major General Neish said Digicel Foundation purchased the boat in response to the persistent problem of missing fish pots which have plagued the fishing sector during hurricanes or other severe weather conditions.
