Ministers meet with Okapale fishermen

Workers vent their frustrations
The fishermen have complained that fishing companies are exploiting them and refuse to employ them permanently.
Leandrea Mouers
Fisheries and marine resources minister Derek Klazen and his labour, industrial relations and employment creation counterpart Utoni Nujoma yesterday met with over 200 fishermen employed under the Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP).

Held in Walvis Bay, the meeting was aimed at discussing labour-related matters and other issues contained in petitions directed at the two ministries.

A total of 2 483 ex-fishermen have been reabsorbed into the industry under the programme. These fishermen were former Namsov employees, participated in the illegal strike of 2015 or lost their jobs as a result of the Fishrot scandal. Klazen said they have been working with and communicating through an appointed workers’ committee. “We felt that we needed to see you as well. We’ve also invited the respective companies to attend the meeting.”

Sound relations

Nujoma added that ministries are guided by Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution in ensuring the well-being of workers. “That’s why when there are problems, it is our duty to meet with the workers and the employers to try and find an amicable solution. We want to promote sound labour relations, but we are also aware that there is a limit to everything. We have limited resources – particularly in the fishing industry.”

He made reference to the country’s pilchard stock, upon which a moratorium was placed due to overfishing.

“This is why the minister has to listen to the scientists when they are busy with assessments whether the fish stocks are improving or not. But over the years, these scientists have been telling us that this critical resource is declining, and thus the ministry only has a limited quota available [which is] divided among our rights holders to employ our people,” Nujoma said.

Constructive dialogue

According to the labour minister, they have received numerous petitions.

“We want to hear from you what the solutions are, because if we keep on moving forward with dissatisfaction among ourselves [and] lack of consultation, it will not help us. Let’s bear in mind that we have a limited resource, against the backdrop of high unemployment in this country.”

Utoni added: “We must remember that there are still other fishermen at home unemployed. We are here to listen and have constructive dialogue, so that we sort this issue once and for all. The resources are limited, but we have to promote this industry which is critical to the survival of many”.

Meanwhile, Klazen highlighted that of the 2 483 fishermen who have been re-employed, 550 are in the horse mackerel sub-sector, while a further 1 933 are in the hake sub-sector.

“The GERP programme is not a rehash or continuation of their previous jobs, but a new offer altogether aimed at simply providing jobs to them within the vertical integration of fishing. This consists of catching, freezing, packaging, marketing and sales of fish, related products and other marine resources. It is not specifically designed to offer the ex-fishermen seamen jobs.”

In April this year, the fishermen demanded justice and wrote a petition to the two ministers citing unfair treatment, unfair contract terminations and unequal taxation. Additionally, the workers stated that they were only assigned temporary roles while a previous agreement was that companies would employ them on a permanent basis.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-07

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