ARTICLE - MARTELLY - MEETING WITH FISHERMEN

MARTELLY MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FISHERIES SECTOR
(Haiti Libre) -

Last Thursday, Michel Martelly, President of the Republic, met at Club Indigo, representatives of the fisheries sector to inquire personally of their functioning. The Head of State took the opportunity to collect grievances and recommendations of the participants in order to provide support to strengthen this sector.

"Attentive to the hopes of the fishermen, of their expectations, of their essential experiences, of their practices, of their knowledge of the environment, I come to take information at the source. I come to learn from them, because my mission is primarily to serve," stressed the Head of State, who invited the fishermen to create a structure to manage the problems inherent to the sector, while promising them his total support. President Martelly is committed to working to transform the fishing sector into a true industry that can in the future mobilize foreign investment.

In their speeches, some leaders of fishermen's organizations say that they recognize the will of the Head of State to give a new boost to this sector, and expressed the needs and availability of the industry.

The meeting held at the initiative of President Martelly aims to the participation of all sectors in the reform and the restructuring of activities in order to guarantee the country's economic development.

Before leaving for Cuba last November, President Martelly had declared about fishing that, "...fishing is very important to us. We are already working to develop by the end of the month, a seminar on fishing and trades of the sea. This will be an opportunity to talk about the development of remote areas, coastal towns, areas where the population have marine wealth, but who do not have the means and do not know how to exploit them.

The trades of the sea can allow certain cities where there are many fishermen to enjoy an economic development in this area. We have already identified two people who will establish this Commission, which will consist of fishermen, academics, and government officials as members.

[...] A partner that can help us a lot on this subject is the Cuban cooperation. This file has already been discussed with the representative of UNESCO in Haiti, Michaëlle Jean, who has promised to begin negotiations with university experts in the field..."