Phase one of the Red Bay fishers dock — which included a bulk heading and a haul-out ramp as well as the dock itself — has been completed, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said last Thursday in the House of Assembly.
“Plans are to commission these facilities at a small dedication ceremony, after which they will be made accessible for use by the community, especially the fishermen,” Dr. Wheatley (R-D7) said in response to a question from opposition member Marlon Penn (R-D8).
Construction of a building for fish collection and processing will be the second and final phase of the project, according to the premier. After the Public Works Department designs and costs that building, the project will be sent out to tender, he said. In a follow-up question, Mr. Penn asked if any solutions had been proposed to address concerns raised by discontented landowners in the area.
‘Free-for-all’ fears
“If we don’t deal with the issues surrounding that particular dock, it is going to turn into a free-for-all that we’re not going to be able to manage and handle and pull back — if we don’t have a policy in place in terms of the usage at that particular facility right now,” Mr. Penn said.
“Persons are dumping stuff all around the dock, leaving stuff on the dock. Boats are parked there for months at a time not moving.”
In response, the premier said, “We continue to seek a solution to the discontented landowners. I’d have to say it’s a very unfortunate situation. … When things don’t start right, they won’t end right.”
He added that previous efforts to find an “amicable solution” have come up short.
“But our intention is that we will have to move forward as was envisioned with that particular project unless there’s any other solution that is proposed that can be accepted,” he said.
Work on the dock got under way in April 2022 after more than a decade of delays.
