Minister of Fisheries, Hon. Conroy Huggins, has announced that the government has paid out $250,000 in outstanding support to fisherfolk and persons affected by Hurricane Beryl who did not receive assistance previously, marking the start of what he says will be a major upgrade of the fisheries sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Huggins made the statement during a recent Facebook video address today, where he outlined plans for a full revamp of fisheries facilities across the country. He said he and his team have already visited sites in Owia, Calliaqua, Kingstown Fish Market, Lowmans Bay, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair and found many of them in “deplorable condition”.
The Minister said projects are already being prepared for rollout through 2026 and 2027, with the government aiming for a noticeable transformation of the sector by 2028.
“We have projects in line already… We are anticipating that by 2028 the entire fisheries sector will see a transformation,” Huggins said.
Huggins said the Owia and Chateaubelair fisheries centres will be rebuilt under the Volcano Emergency Recovery Project, noting that Chateaubelair has been left defunct for more than two decades. Upgrades are also planned for Calliaqua, Barrouallie and Kingstown, with work expected in Bequia, Canouan and Union Island as well.
He said the goal is bigger than infrastructure — it is to grow income and create long-term wealth for fisherfolk.
“Our best performance in recent times is just about 1.5% contribution to GDP, and in 2026 we want to increase that significantly. We want to see fishers earn and generate wealth — not just wealth, but generational wealth,” he said.
Huggins also highlighted that within his first three weeks in office, the Ministry cleared more than a year’s worth of pending assistance applications, allowing recipients to access the funds in time for the VAT-free shopping days on December 18 and 19.
“It warms my heart… Fishers were able to benefit before the VAT-free holiday and purchase items,” he said.
Persons who believe they were not included in the payout list are encouraged to contact the Ministry, where the Ministry of Fisheries will verify their information.
Huggins said residents can expect to see visible improvements as works move across the country.
“We are going to be seeing significant development in the fishery sector. The thing is loading,” he said.
