Confiscated conch goes to feed children
In case you were wondering whatever happened to all that undersized conch confiscated last month in two busts by the Fisheries Department… wonder no more. As News 5’s Marion Ali found out this morning, it’s all going toward a good cause.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Today, the fishermen’s loss became a handsome gain for thirty institutions, including twenty-one primary schools from the Belize, Cayo, and Toledo Districts. They received all two thousand, one hundred and sixteen of the undersized conch seized by the Fisheries Department.
According to teacher Marvin Kellyman of Ebenezer Methodist School, the donation was a welcomed gesture for most schools that offer feeding programmes.
Marvin Kellyman, Teacher, Belize Methodist School
“Actually we’re struggling to get provisions for our school. And I think most schools go through this same problem, so the children will surely benefit from this bag of conch. The cook there will surely make a delicious conch soup for them. Through this medium I also want to invite other agencies who have other food supplies, maybe fruits and other food items to contribute to our school. We will really appreciate it.”
Marion Ali
“How many children benefit from your feeding programme?”
Marvin Kellyman
“It varies and right now it is growing. We have 40 to 50 children.”
Because feeding programmes are not a profit-making venture, most schools face the same challenges.
Uraina Samuels, Principal, Hattieville Gov’t School
“We have about three sponsors on a monthly basis and then the children pay a dollar per meal for five days, so any donation is quite welcome.”
As for who’s welcomed to these treats, Fisheries Inspector, Errol Diaz, says that’s decided by the Fisheries staff and authorized by administrator, Beverly Wade.
Errol Diaz, Fisheries Inspector
“Most of the products that we sell through the cooperatives usually go outside. The price of these things are fairly high for some people, so it’s more of a treat to the children to receive these products, and the staff and the administration supported it.”
Marion Ali
“What about the other institutions that are in need of these kinds of donations, what kind of consideration to given to them?”
Errol Diaz
“They would be next in line. This is not something that has just recently happened. The reason we’re doing this now formally before the public like this, is we’ve had so many questions as to where the product is going and who is receiving it and how is it being handled, so we just want transparency.”
Meanwhile, the other quantity of conch seized from Northern Fishermen’s on October twenty-fourth will be distributed similarly, as soon as the court case is completed.
According to Diaz, whether the party is a person or a corporation, the procedure is basically the same.
Errol Diaz
“A fisherman you would charge that individual individually by name. An entity you would charge by the name of the cooperative or the title of the company and they will vote in an individual who is responsible to answer to the charge or a representative on behalf of the cooperative.”
Marion Ali
“Is the process a little more difficult when you’re charging a cooperative as compared to a fisherman? I’m asking this based on the fact that it was the fishermen who were prosecuted before now, the cooperative that is before the court.
Errol Diaz
“Every case is different, so some are difficult and some could be considered semi-easy, but law is law and all decisions are made by the magistrate.”
Marion Ali for News 5.
The case against the Northern co-op is due to be called on the twenty-eighth of this month before Magistrate Earl Jones.
