THE Urban Development Corporation (UDC) yesterday acted on its plan to relocate fisherfolk from the informal Forum Fishing Village in Portmore, St Catherine.

The operation began at approximately 6:00 am when UDC officials and other workers, accompanied by a team from St Catherine South Police; turned up at the village to help the fishermen and vendors move to a new location at Sector M East on Port Henderson Road. The operation lasted for about seven hours.

“Several trucks were also provided to assist the informal occupants remove from the beach,” Tyrell Morgan, UDC’s corporate relations and marketing manager, told the Jamaica Observer.

But a number of fisherfolk were not all happy with the move. Some raised concern about a number of developments at the new site.

“We welcome the move, because we understand is people’s property and we could not live here forever. But there are a number of issues on the new site that have to be addressed,” said Vincent Sundar.

He was one of several fishermen who complained, about the size of the containers they were given to store their equipment among other things.

“Right now, to operate on our boats it takes at least three people, but the space they give us to store our items cannot work. They have to look into that issue,” Lee Whittingham, another fisherman, said.

The more than 140 fisherfolk, some of whom reside on the beach, were given eviction notices in July following the January sale of the Forum Hotel to the Portmore Marina Development Limited.

Following the notice to move, UDC officials said they had been taking steps to help the fishermen and vendors legitimise their activities.

In addition to a $45,000 relocation grant, the affected fisherfolk are also being provided with gear sheds for storage of equipment; a separate fish-scaling area; a mooring section; and an on-site fuel storage section, the UDC said.

The state agency also said that it will provide foundation for the structures and connection for utilities such as electricity and water. Once the access connections are completed, the fisherfolk will have to apply for and pay for the services.