Human Rights Association expresses concern over potential Chinese licences

Nov 04, 2013 News

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The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has expressed grave concern over government’s consideration and possible granting of multiple fishing licences to Chinese nationals. The organization on Saturday described the Agriculture Minister’s consideration of licences for Chinese fishing vessels to operate in Guyanese waters as “yet another example of Guyana’s natural resources being bartered away to Chinese interests without any reference to the people most directly affected, or the environmental effects.”
The Association noted that in the context of the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors (GATOSP) being instructed to limit their fleets in order to protect species and prevent over-fishing, the intended licensing to Chinese vessels is another example of Guyana’s biodiversity being sacrificed to Chinese profits.

The organization charged that Guyanese labour is taking second place to Chinese labour. “If the current limits imposed on the number of trawlers allowed to fish in Guyanese waters are to be lifted, Guyanese fishermen ought then to be the first to benefit.”
It was noted that Guyana already had bad experience of factory ships. “Some thirty years ago factory ships servicing the US market carried out exactly the same strategy. Although illegal, captains of Guyanese trawlers would sell half of their catch to these factory boats, and then bring the rest ashore in Guyana. Not only will this practice be re-introduced, but the voracious appetite of these new vessels will encourage over-fishing on a grand scale.”
GHRA has viewed the Minister’s wait on technical details in the absence of a meeting with fishing stakeholders as “another instance of the local politics of the issue being sacrificed to technical considerations. The views of GATOSP are evidently a low priority since their President has complained that he cannot get responses to his letters nor an interview with the Minister.”
Assurances that the Chinese will not be allowed to fish for species currently assigned to GATOSP members is a subterfuge, since the Ministry has no way of effectively monitoring what is taking place on the high seas, the Association continued.  “The Minister’s complacent attitude to the labour, environmental and food price consequences of this matter is disturbing.  If it had been an isolated example, it might be viewed as an oversight. However, his position conforms to a clear pattern of priorities in which Chinese interests are privileged over what is good for Guyanese bio-diversity, Guyanese labour and Guyanese standard of living. This would be an intolerable state of affairs even were China an example of good governance, environmental integrity, and human rights. Unfortunately, China is more often associated with exactly the opposite set of values. Does the Government of Guyana believe these characteristics are set aside in China’s dealings with Guyana?  If the Government has a case to make why Guyanese interests should be sacrificed in this manner, the Guyanese people have a right to hear it.”
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has, however, reiterated to the media that Chinese state-owned fishing vessels will not be given licences to fish within the 12-mile Guyana territorial limit or in the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and will not be allowed to fish the same species as locals.
It was first announced that some 40 fishing licenses were being considered for Chinese fishing vessels, but the idea was met with great resistance by local operators who said that they are being asked to reduce their fleets in order to save the environment and depleting stocks. The Minister told reporters that no licences have been granted to the Chinese since the initiative is under consideration.
This response also came when rumours surfaced last week that the Minister had already signed off on a “letter of intent” to have the Chinese operate here.
The GATOSP had raised concerns as news of the potential licences circulated. Concerns increased for the fish operators’ representatives when they received no response to a letter sent more than a month ago to the Agriculture Minister expressing their worry over the development.
The Minister has explained, however, that the local fishing industry will not be hurt by the initiative, and has indicated plans to meet with the GATOSP.
The rising contention comes when tensions are rising over the granting of huge contracts to Chinese State-owned companies, which in some cases allow for only Chinese employment.  Contracts such as the construction of a 197-room Marriott Hotel, which sees the employment of only Chinese nationals, and the $150M airport runway expansion project at the country’s international airport, have also come in for criticism as putting Chinese interests before those of Guyanese.

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