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{
    "id": 362130,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/362130/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 326,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank hon. John Mbadi for bringing this Motion. I wish to move an amendment that the Motion be amended by deleting the words “and access cheap loans” immediately after the words “be given grants” appearing in the seventh line of the Motion and also by inserting the following words “and further urges that the annual closure season for fishing be reduced from four months to one month commencing from 1st April to 1st May immediately after the words “correct and scientific fishing gear” appearing at the end of the Motion. The import of my amendment is to only provide for grants and not loans. Currently, by a gazette notice, we have a four months period when there is closure of fishing and the fishermen are not allowed to fish. I am seeking to have it reduced from four months to one month. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are many issues affecting the fishing industry and some of them have been alluded to. Last year, we passed the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development Authority Bill. We talked to some of the issues that hon. Mbadi is addressing in this Motion. His Motion actually has legal anchorage. What I am proposing also has legal anchorage. We are suggesting that the Government, due to the poverty levels, should provide ways of ensuring that the fisherfolks are assisted. I know hon. Members have spoken to the issue of fishing by other communities; a matter which has been introduced in other communities which are not traditionally fishing communities. The mistake the Government has done is this: Whereas in the agricultural sector there has been heavy subsidy from the Government, the fishing sector has been neglected. The attempts and efforts at subsidy have been by introducing fishing in other communities. The net effect is that the traditional fishing communities are actually suffering. There are dwindling stocks of fishing and people are getting poorer with no alternative forms of livelihood. So, that is why this Motion is timely. In my amendment, I am encouraging hon. Members to accept that this be the only form of subsidy ever in the fishing industry. Some of the problems that we face in the fishing industry--- I know hon. Members have spoken to some of them and so, I will just mention a few. For instance, fishermen are experiencing problems with regard to cold storage, infrastructure and access to fishing bays. There is also the issue of poor landing base. About three weeks ago, I had a consultative meeting with the fisherfolks in my constituency and we looked at length at some of these issues. I was surprised that in my constituency, omena is very valuable and it is very scarce. It is actually creating a conflict already and yet, in Uganda, it is not treated as anything serious. It is actually animal feed and nobody bothers to fish for omena."
}