Local operator protects the right to hold two fishing licenses
As the public debate continues…
Kaieteur News – Citing the need for equal opportunities in the local fisheries sector, La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara businessman Rampersaud Sookdeo has defended his right to hold two fishing licenses.
Local Operator: Rampersaud Sookdeo.
Sookdeo’s license became the subject of public debate following weeks of pressure asked by the opposition and questions set in Parliament.
Previously, opposition Senator and former Public Safety Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had asked questions in the National Assembly regarding the issue of trawls’ licenses.
Among the questions asked, who were granted two new trawl licenses for the years 2020 to 2021 by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Department.
In a statement released to the press on Friday, Sookdeo, whose identity has since been revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture, said that although he has reported news of granting his two trawl licenses to fish, he questions the logic behind the argument.
“Why should one company get 20 and 30 licenses and I can’t get two? That can’t be right. If this is a government for the people, then everyone should be given the opportunity to make a living, ”said Sookdeo, arguing that he deserves an equal opportunity as a Guyanese to operate in the sector.
The businessman explained that the licenses he had received were long coming.
He said he has been in the fisheries business for over 20 years, but he operated mostly out of Trinidad because his first attempt to obtain a license locally was in vain.
“I never had one so I’m off to Trinidad. I opened a company in Trinidad 12 to 15 years ago and operated under the name Hassid Enterprise Limited, ”said Sookdeo.
While in Trinidad, he said he would usually employ Guyanese to work with him.
He said, however, that about two or three years ago, he was having difficulties getting Guyanese to work. He also said the operation was becoming costly.
In addition, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing its own challenges, Sookdeo said he decided to return to Guyana. After experiencing the difficulty of getting the first license, Sookdeo said he turned to the Government for help. He also said he had applied and was going through the process.
“I decided to ask for help from the Guyanese government because I am Guyanese and I think the government is here to help its citizens. I can’t get my investment in a country and it’s going down … Boats are declining so fast because of the salt air so if you park your boat for about two years, you would be lucky if you get something out of it, ”he explained.
Sookdeo noted that he was able to build a reputation for himself in a foreign country and as such could not understand the argument behind operating in his own homeland.
“If I can go to Trinidad and own a company, why can’t I own one in Guyana and I’m Guyanese? What’s the problem? I’ve been in the business for a long time and I’m very familiar with the industry because I owned long liner boats, red snapper cage boats and shrimp trailers. “
The businessman also said that, considering he was an outsider, it was not easy for him to operate alone in Trinidad. “I worked in partnership with an old friend in the business called Hassid Enterprise Limited. If you talk to the real trailer operators in Trinidad, they would be able to tell you about me and the years I’ve been operating there, ”added Sookdeo.
Now that he has his licenses, Sookdeo says his goal is to employ locals to work.
“I’ll be able to hire more Guyanese than I could in Trinidad. I want to get my business going so I can continue to provide for my family. I’d like a fair chance, ”he said.