CRAWFORD, St Elizabeth

More than 40 fishermen who operate out of the Gallion Beach in this seaside community, will next week, begin to benefit from a much needed storage house which is being constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture at a cost of $2 million.

When the Observer West visited the facility on Monday workmen were busy putting on the finishing touches to the newly constructed building on the fishing beach.

The building will among other things, house 14 lockers.

“Everything is almost finished. Right now we are installing the grills and putting on the locks on the lockers, then we will have the building painted,” a spokesman for the workmen said.

He said the facility would be used to store equipment such as boat engines for the fishers who use the facility.

Fishermen who use the popular beach have long called for the erection of the storage house.

Over the years they have complained bitterly that the absence of the facility has resulted in them losing thousands of dollars, due mainly to thefts.

“Because were don’t have a storage house, persons sometimes steal our engines off the boats and other things such as gasoline from us,” said Clive Watson, who has been a fisherman at the beach for more than 16 years. “Now, very soon we will be safe because we are getting the storage house,” added an elated Watson.

He commended Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton who is also member of parliament for the area, for making the funds available to construct the facility.

“Wi haffi big up Food for the Poor too, for assisting us with a few boats,” added the 50 year-old fisherman.

The charitable organisation recently donated three boats to the fishermen.

Meanwhile, plans are already in place to construct sanitary conveniences at the beach.

“As soon as we get the approval from the (St Elizabeth) Parish Council we will be moving to construct the sanitary conveniences,” said Oliver Nembhard, managing director for VOJ Heavy Equipment, which was contracted to construct the facility.