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THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine. accused a US Navy vessel of damaging equipment belonging to Tobago fishermen.

In June, All-Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA) President Curtis Douglas alleged that an energy company had affected the livelihoods of fishermen in the eastern end of Tobago by carrying out a geotechnical survey on the 12 may. Douglas had requested adequate compensation for the loss of equipment. .

But Augustine, speaking on Tobago Channel Five’s Rise and Shine program on Tuesday, said: ‘The issue where fishermen were claiming that BHP Billiton had ships moving through space and destroying their FADs (focusing devices fish) and so on – when the investigation was made, the company was not BHP Billiton, it was actually a US Navy ship passing through space.

He specified that information had also been transmitted to the ATFA.

“So now they know it really has nothing to do with an oil company, so with all their protests in Speyside and all the noise they make, it has nothing to do with an oil company. It is a foreign entity, a foreign governmental entity that crosses the waters.

He said he had recently met with the ATFA and assured them that he would relay the information to the US Embassy and also request a meeting with Embassy officials and the fishermen involved. .

“I think they should – I think they would be more than willing to have that conversation. So that’s being worked out as we speak.

Contacted on Wednesday, Douglas said the proposed meeting would give fishermen an opportunity to put their issues on the table.

“Hopefully the Chief Secretary would take action, writing to the US Embassy or US Representative on behalf of ATFA and hopefully the serious damage they may have done to the industry of Tobago fishery they would compensate us for our damages We are counting on the Chief Secretary to lead this and lead because Tobago has been asking for leadership all this time so we expect him to take the lead We will be right behind him.