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Fishermen, residents fear relocation

THE FATE of over 200 fishermen, vendors and residents on the St. Catherine sea coast is now hanging in the balance as the Government moves to construct a new causeway in Portmore.

Over the past four months, two major fishing villages on the St. Catherine coast have had their day with the Government and its various agencies such as the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the Ministry of Health and the St. Catherine Parish Council.

In the case of the old Habour Fishing Village, it could be argued that the issue was a clear case of poor environmental management on the part of the residents and Parish Council members who stand by and watch the fishing village deteriorate.

With the help of various agencies and individuals, the facility is back to its former glory and is now awaiting the re-connection of water and some other minor repairs to the main shed to return to business as usual.

In the case of the Hellshire Beach in Greater Portmore where 16 vendors were evicted, according to Member of Parliament for the area Fritz Jackson, the eviction should not have taken place the way it was done. He said he has had several meetings with the UDC on the process of the development of the beach line and the removal of the vendors.

The causeway fishing village is now in the spotlight and the authorities could be up for a big fight with the fishermen, their families and vendors.

Councillor for the Edgewater Division Collin Fagon agrees that it is not going to be a easy process to remove the village for the proposed construction of a second bridge along the causeway as announced recently by Minister of Transport and Works Dr. Peter Phillips and Member of Parliament Dr. Paul Robertson.

One vendor, Edward Bailey, who has been living on the causeway for over 16 years, said he has heard of the planned development in the area but no one has said anything to them and he has no plans to remove as he has no where else to go.

Councillor Owen Sanderson told a recent Parish Council meeting that the vendors and the village itself deface the entrance to the Portmore community. It is also an environmental concern as the village with over 200 residents have no toilets, he said.

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