Fishermen and ministry not in the same boat

Fishermen in the Eastern Region are unhappy about the Ministry of Environment and Water distributing boat engines. 

The ministry plans to distribute 97 engines in the next couple of days, reported 'Al Khaleej' newspaper.

Fishermen in the east coast have urged officials concerned not to go ahead with the distribution because no fishermen associations have been involved in the decision-making process.

They fear deserving fishermen could be left off the list as the ministry does not know the ground realities. However, if the fishermen associations were involved in the distribution process justice would be met out to all as they are hands-on involved with fishermen on a day-to-day basis.

Mohammad bin Yarouf, fisherman from Dibba Al Hosn, said: "Authorities supervising the distribution do not have complete knowledge of the conditions under which fishermen here work."

Ali Hassan Khasif, fisherman from Al Bidiyah, also said "the action is totally unacceptable" and called for the distribution through fishermen associations because only "they coexist with us here".

Mohammad Ali Abdullah, fisherman, fears that many deserving men may not get the equipment.
 

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