Team Herald
VASCO: The Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) on Thursday vowed not to allow anyone to stall the fishing jetty planned as part of Vasco bay development.
The GFBOA members were reacting to the objections raised by the canoe owners association from Khariwado and Baina for the fishing jetty at Vasco bay.
Expressing their displeasure over the objections, the GFBOA members said that they have been fighting for the project since last 40 years. GFBOA is an association of trawler owners from Khariwado.
Addressing a press conference in Vasco on Thursday, GFBOA President Augusto Fernandes said, “We GFBOA members have been facing severe hardships in absence of proper fishing jetty as the existing one is insufficient to accommodate our fishing trawlers during season. Also as all the process for our fishing jetty has been completed, we demand that the same should be constructed on priority and without any delay.”
The dock committee chairman GFBOA, Ronny D’Souza explained in brief about the kind of hardships GFBOA members have been facing since last 40 years.
GFBOA member Seby D’Souza said, “Jetty is our top most priority and hence we would also try to sit and amicably settle the issue with the fishermen who have been objecting the proposed fishing jetty which is part of proposed development of Vasco bay plan.”
GFBOA Secretary Simon Pereira claimed that, “Trawler owners operating from Khariwado jetty have been spending around Rs 4-5 lakhs every year for repairs due to bad condition of our existing jetty which is also insufficient for all our members. It is also important to note that all political parties, past governments and local leaders including former MLA Rajendra Arlekar, Jose Philip D’Souza and now the current MLA Carlos Almeida helped and supported us in providing solution to our jetty issue. However, the major decision was taken in the year 2012 when Manohar Parrikar became chief minister and he gave us assurance that he would ensure that our new fishing jetty which were proposed at various other locations will be build at Vasco bay itself. Now, it is a golden opportunity for us as MPT has agreed to save our houses besides building jetty for us, but we don’t know why some people started raising objections.”
