By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE “rushed” boaters fee increase has caused “homegrown self-inflicted inflation” created by the Davis administration, according to Opposition finance spokesman Kwasi Thompson yesterday.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Mr Thompson accused the government of again not consulting with Family Island boat owners when making the amendments to the Boat Registration Bill and the Water Skiing and Motorboat Control Bill.

He said that commercial boat owners and fishermen have “very real challenges” and fee increases have a direct impact on Family Island residents, particularly those that reside on cays.

He said: “The PLP administration recently moved to suspend their rushed increase of fees on recreation and commercial boat owners. This calamity that we find ourselves in is the government’s own making. These fees were implemented without consultation, ignoring the human impact on small boaters and fishermen and on the cost of doing business and thus retail prices and partaking of marine products sold on average to the Bahamian kitchen table. This is what I call homegrown self-inflicted inflation.

“Unfortunately, the government has again not properly consulted in my constituency. You have not consulted with those who are in East Grand Bahama, who this bill will affect. There are very real challenges faced by small Bahamian commercial boat owners by small fishermen and these increases in the bill have a direct impact on the lives of those people in East Grand Bahama. Particularly in the East End settlements, including Sweetings Cay and Water Cay.”

He argued many Family Island residents use their boats similarly to how New Providence residents use their cars and it was “cruel” to implement such a large increase.

He said: “Many fishermen use their vessels to provide for their families, the same way in fact like Sweeting Cay the same way that we use our cars is the same way that they use their boats. It is cruel to increase registration and such an extreme way. The Fisheries Association has raised concerns that the smaller fisherman may simply just be unable to afford these fees.”

Mr Thompson also questioned how boat owners use their vessels for multiple purposes such as fishing, transportation and recreation should classify their boats.

He argued many Family Island residents use their boats as their primary means of transportation to the mainland for themselves and their families as well as fishing to earn a living.

He said: “What about the persons who live in Sweetings Cay who use their boats for multiple purposes. So, the bill makes a distinction between those who use their boats to carry persons and who use it for recreational purposes, that’s a different category commercial and then who use their boats for commercial fishermen.

“All of those boats usages have different rates. They charged different rates. Well in Sweeting’s Cay they use their boats for recreational purposes. But they also use the same boat to carry persons back and forward to Sweetings Cay and they also use the same boat to fish and to sell and to carry those fish and conch to the mainland to sell. So, they use their boats for different purposes all would fit within those categories. So which category should they now choose to go under?

“In the Family Islands, it is not as cut and dry as it is maybe in New Providence. The same boat as I said is used to fish, transport persons and for recreation purposes.”

He also argued the new requirements to provide records of crew training and boat maintenance prior to registration may be difficult for Family Island residents as many do not have formal training and perform most boat repairs themselves.

He said: “So you must present to the New Providence Port Authority a record of valid crew training. Most persons don’t have no formal training when you go on these boats and Family Islands but you must present a record of valid crew training. You must also present surveys conducted in the last 12 months. And my understanding is these surveys are expensive. And then how many of these surveys are to be produced? What does the survey need to say and what if it is not will you not be granted or will you not be registered if you don’t provide the service?

“You must also provide a history of dry docking you must also provide records of boat maintenance. Somebody in Sweeting’s Cay I guarantee that they don’t have a record of boat maintenance because most of them may provide the maintenance themselves.”