Desmond Myers

PERSONS IN the fishing industry in St Ann have blasted the new tax measures announced by the Government, saying the imposition of additional taxes on the sector could spell doom for them.

Several fishermen and restaurant operators at the popular Fisherman's Beach in Ocho Rios say the new tax measures will have a serious, negative impact on their livelihood.

One fisherman, Desmond Myers, who has been fishing for 16 years, has called for an exemption from increased taxes for the fishing industry.

"If they can give us, the fishermen, a little break, a little exempt, that would a good," Myers told The Sunday Gleaner.

"If yuh a tax all our gear an equipment, it a go have a negative effect on us, monetary-wise; it mean wha we used to put out fi wi kids wi naw go can do that again. The next thing, we haffi go further out ah sea, we a ketch less fish, wi expense gone up, so a less money wi a mek."

A 45-year-old fisherman, who gave his name as Patrick, said fishing is all he knows, as he has been fishing since he was nine years old.

"We can hardly afford to survive where things are at the moment. The more taxes will make things worse, we can't afford it, everybody a bawl."

further pressure

Approximately 60 persons operate on the beach and make a direct living from the fishing industry. These include several restaurateurs, who said the new tax measures that will affect the sector will add further pressure on them.

"We've been having some brutally slow months and something like this coming at this time, where everybody under pressure, it's going to further affect business," explained the operator of Tropical Vibes restaurant, located on the beach.

"I buy 150 to 200 pounds of fish weekly from these fishermen. I also have a boat at sea so I have to buy wire and other equipment; with these new tax measures, all it does is put a lot more pressure on my business operation and I' not happy at all, this is as sad as it gets," the operator said. "You are hoping for a little reprieve - fine, we understand the global recession, we understand all the problems; we were hoping things would be getting a little better, it seems things are getting a lot worse. It's a lot of pressure," he added.

Another businessman, Gary Williams, who has been buying fish from the fishermen and reselling for 15 years, said the new measures were "wicked".

"It wicked, man, because the people who support me naw go be able to afford my fish because everything a tax so mi haffi go raise up my fish them. The people dem always a complain because a di worse mi ever see it so dis a go mek it even worse," said Williams.