A man who spent 48 years working in fisheries — as a fisher and later a vendor — before retiring in 2024, was honoured during the Fisherman’s Day activities in Calliaqua on Monday.
And, true to the career that he has led advocating for stakeholders in the fisheries sector, Eocen “Chin” Victory, used his speech to advocate for assistance for fish vendors, in light o the impact of Hurricane Beryl on their income.
“Before I leave, I want to say hurricane Beryl almost destroy us. Yes. And when you look at my organisation that I form in the market, the vendors’ co-op, the money, that was paid out, vendors seem not to be in that batch,” Victory said.
“But I’m asking the minister, everybody, we, the vendors, are integral part of the development of the fisheries. And vendors, blaming me a lot that I didn’t represent them to the government, but they never asked me nothing about vendors.
“So, I’m asking now that this money that is going to be paid out, look at vendors as an integral part of the industry…” Victory said.
Victory started in the fisheries sector in 1976 when he returned from the United States, where he worked cutting sugarcane.
He bought a small seine and used the money he earned from it to support his family, including educating his children up to a university level.
Victory joined the Goodwill Fisherman’s Cooperative in 1986 as the secretary and became its president a few years later.
He advocated for the rights of fishers even as they complained about how vendors were treating them.
Victory encouraged the fishers to sell their fish by getting their relatives involved as vendors.
Then, in 1998, he led the way and became a fish vendor, and did so six days a week, except on public holidays, until his retirement last November.
In 2006, Victory championed the formation of the National Fisherfolk Organisation, a registered cooperative.
Victory’s advocacy also took him overseas, where he was exposed to capacity building and gained respect across the region.
He partnered with the Ministry of Fisheries and assisted in crafting policies to recognise the work of fisherfolk in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
As a member of the fisheries advisory committee set up by the government, Victory helped to formulate policies towards the fisheries sector.
Following the Christmas Floods of 2013, the New Zealand government provided funds for the National Fisherfolk Organisation.
Victory suggested that the Fisheries Division allocate the funds towards reviving the Barrouallie Development Fishermen’s Cooperative.
A project was developed for the cooperative, which did not have its money to contribute towards the project. Victory, therefore, contributed EC$7,000 of his personal money to the Barrouallie Fishermen’s Development Cooperative.
Today, the Barrouallie Fishermen’s Development Cooperative is the leading primary fisherfolk organisation here in SVG.
Victory was honoured as SVG celebrated its 48th anniversary of Fisherman’s Day.
Meanwhile, Victory said that 48 years in the sector “wasn’t an easy journey for me, but along the way, I have very good people by my side”.
He thanked the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, saying its Deputy Executive Director, Susan Singh-Renton and June Masters, a member of the secretarial staff, “are people who believed that I have the potential to lead.
“And they send me to at least six different countries to build my capacity to help the fisher folks of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” Victory said.
He said the staff of the Fisheries Division also played a role in his development, Victory said, adding, “… I never have a problem going to the office and never get a result.
“A young lady who I met when she was junior staff and now become chief have been with me all the road I have walked,” he further said, referring to Chief Fisheries Officer, Jennifer Howard-Cruickshank.
He also lauded the contribution of the leaders of the primary organisations formed under the umbrella of the National Fisherfolk Organisation.
Victory, however, said the Barrouallie organisation was “a hallmark for me, because I spent 12 years in Barrouallie with my net and build a relationship there that I have with the people there”.
He said it was “a hard feeling to me’ when the cooperative there went dormant.
“And when the project come onstream, I feel fitting that Barrouallie should come onstream. I help them along the way and today, they are the most outstanding primary organisation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Victory said.
He thanked the leaders of the primary organisation, including Huelin Pierre and the president of the National Fisherfolk Organisation, Winsbert Harry.
“They stood with me all the time. So I want to say thanks to them for helping me anyway, because it was a rugged road.”
Victory said that while he really appreciates the development of the fisheries sector, “we cannot have a true development without the education of our people.
“In 2006, I sat with the Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the [then] chief fishery officer, Mr. Raymond Ryan, and I asked them to see how best they could get fishing into the school curriculum.
“Today, we’re talking about development, and our people are still behind. We have to bring the people up to the standard to face the development.”
He said that SVG’s exclusive economic zone extends more than 200 miles even as its land area is dwindling.
“We have to build our people, but now we have to look to the sea for our development,” Victory said, adding that Minister of Fisheries Saboto Caesar had spoken about the sector in Grenada.
“… we see how Grenada move on. … because they are fishing in our waters. They come and take our baits and they take our big fishes, and they develop the country, and we still lagging behind. We have to rise to the occasion,’ Victory said.
He also asked the authorities to address an issue that the fishers’ group in Barrouallie is facing regarding a lease.
“Just couple weeks ago, we have a meeting with Sandals because Sandals want to purchase fish directly from the fisher folks.
“… and we choose Barrouallie to be this outlet for Sandals, and we haven’t the lease to develop this thing. So, I’m asking the Minister to make sure that the lease agreement go back to Barrouallie, because Barrouallie is doing well,” Victory said.