Three fishermen are relieved to be among the first ten recipients of loans and grants to help cover the cost of rebuilding or replacing their boats, which were destroyed or damaged by storm surge from Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
They spoke to journalists following a briefing on the Vessel Replacement Programme, which revealed an allocation of up to $18 million for loans and grants to replace more than 70 vessels affected by the hurricane.
Long-time fisherman Anthony Durant said he feels positive about the information disclosed at the press briefing, especially after successfully being approved for a loan to cover the cost of replacing his boat.
“My boat was completely destroyed, I ain’t save nothing.”
The fisherman said his boat, now under construction, should be completed in two months. “I get the loan already, everything process already, just waiting now for the boat.”
The boat owner said he is happy that insurance is included in the loan, as it will ensure that if something happens, he has insurance to cover any eventualities.
He is eager to return to sea.
“I waiting on the boat now to go back to do my fishing.”
Another fisherman, Harvey Corbin, is in a different situation, as his boat was extensively damaged and he was only able to save the engine.
“I decided to get a fiberglass hull and I continued building the boat, putting back the engine. I did it on my own.”
Corbin said he did not apply for the loan but received the grant, which covers 25 per cent of the cost to completely rebuild his boat.
“I got the grant two months ago.”
The fisherman revealed that work to rebuild the boat has not been completed but should be finished soon.
“She’s gonna complete shortly, two months maybe.”
He said he plans to insure his boat, although the insurance he previously had was not the best.
“The insurance was awful, but I’m gonna insure this time. We supposed to be getting an organisation set up whereas there will be an insurance for all the boats. Depending on the cost or the value of the individual boat, we will pay to suit. Otherwise, these insurance for boats in Barbados, it ain’t ready.”
Corbin, who is part of the Black Fin Fleet, said they will work with the organisation to ensure they are properly covered.
He also believes the new boat will be able to withstand a storm if hit.
“It’s a good solid boat, more of an English-type boat, fully engineered.”
Steven Bourne, a retired fisherman in his 70s, said all three of his vessels were affected by the hurricane, with two destroyed and one damaged.
“I had to get the one that was badly damaged out of the water and fix it so it would be ready for the fishing season.”
He said he was successful in getting that boat fixed in time to return to fishing.
Bourne said following the announcement by the Prime Minister, he decided to get a new boat to replace the two that were destroyed.
“Since June 6 last year my new boat was in the water, fiber glass boat, cost a lot of money but I couldn’t do less than get a new boat cause I have a son that’s a fisherman, a grandson that’s a fisherman and a nephew that’s a fisherman, so I had to get a new boat for them to carry out.”
Bourne said although his peers agreed to insure their boats, he is against it.
He recalled an experience borrowing money from the credit union when he had his first ice boat, when he had to insure the boat. However, he said as soon as he finished paying off the loan, he stopped paying for insurance.
Bourne believes it is a waste of money, as he feels the funds spent on insurance could instead be used to maintain the boat, while insurance is not always helpful when needed.
“When I build a boat and put it in the water I want a boat to last me at least a lifetime, and if I’m paying insurance, the same amount of money every year for a lifetime — approximately 40 years — the insurance got all my boat money and I aint got none.”
He admitted that although Hurricane Beryl was a disaster, he believes if he saves his money he can manage on his own.
“I fight my own, I take my losses but I ain’t interested in insuring my boat because when I done paying the insurance to insure the boat that I get, it gone cost me about $15-$20 000 a year. The insurance don’t give you nothing, the insurance don’t come every year when you haul the boat out of the water (to clean and cover other maintenance). You gotta spend $10 or $12 000 dollars on it to get back in the water. The insurance don’t come and say well look, if you spend $15 000 we gone give you $5 000.”
This makes no sense to him, he declared.
“I does be working for the insurance that ain’t helping me with nothing….let me put that money in a bank account by myself. This is my insurance money for my boat, if I do that for 40 years…I don’t think I need insurance.”
He said if the fishing crew wants to insure themselves, they can do so for their security.
Bourne now does limited fishing after a 65-year career.
(LG)
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