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No BlackStar Liner in sight but Garveyites go to Sea
Teaching men to fish
Published: Thursday | December 30, 2010
Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
That is the philosophy businessman and Garveyite Clement 'Jawari' Deslandes and his partner, Vincent Gauntlett, live by.
With a determination to empower their fellow men with the necessary mental and physical skills to enhance themselves, for the past 10 years, Deslandes and Gauntlett have been providing employment to seasoned fishermen and training apprentices in the trade from the Harbour View and St Thomas communities.
Twice per month, the all-male, five-member crew and no fewer than 15 divers/fishermen head out on 45-foot Lola, with two canoes in tow for up to 10 days, hoping to bring back a big haul of a maximum 15,000lb of seafood.
Each trip can take them from 75 to 300 miles off the coast of Jamaica to fishing territories of choice like Pedro Cays, Morant Cays, Bosonovia and Serenella.
Big catch, big gains
On their return to home base at Harbour Head Beach, householders, restaurateurs and seafood lovers are already lined up for the fare of the season - whether it be lobster, shrimp, conch, parrot, snapper, butterfish or any other seafood of choice. Within days, Lola is completely empty.
After they have recovered the $500,000 in expense it takes to make the trip, the approximately 15 fishermen figuratively start reeling in their salaries, which are based on the amount of fish harpooned.
"One diver can shoot up to 1,000lb per trip, which can net him over $80,000 per trip. They can make good money," said Gauntlett.
Their role, however, does not just consist of helping the fishermen to earn a living to feed their families, but also how to wisely invest their earnings while empowering their minds.
Each person enrolled in their employment programme is also mandated to become a member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), of which Deslandes is the vice-president.
"This is not just about providing employment and helping them to be self-sufficient, but they have to educate themselves; uplift, enhance and refurbish their minds; teach their children; wisely use their earnings; we seek to empower them to become self-aware, self-sufficient individuals who can now make a difference in society," said Deslandes.
Renewed pride for the young
The Garveyite said the programme has also helped to make young men, who once were idlers with no hope, now have a renewed pride in themselves.
He also emphasised that "we do not employ lazy people".
They have also identified young men with great potential, like Everton 'Sticky' Brown. Brown is being groomed to become a captain one day. They plan to invest in him by sending him to the Maritime Institute to further educate himself and gain the necessary qualifications.
"We are aware of the limited employment opportunities out there, so we seek to create jobs while educating persons at the same time," said Deslandes.
"Marcus Garvey teaches that man's bread and butter is only insured when he works for it. He teaches if we have no self-confidence, then a man is twice defeated. The only cure for man's enhancement is through Garvey's teachings."
Deslandes and Gauntlett also want those in the programme to be proactive by passing on to others what they have gained.
The partners plan to increase the employment opportunities further by constructing a wharf at their locationat Harbour Head Beach by early next year, which can accommodate more customers.
anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...business1.html
Published: Thursday | December 30, 2010
Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
That is the philosophy businessman and Garveyite Clement 'Jawari' Deslandes and his partner, Vincent Gauntlett, live by.
With a determination to empower their fellow men with the necessary mental and physical skills to enhance themselves, for the past 10 years, Deslandes and Gauntlett have been providing employment to seasoned fishermen and training apprentices in the trade from the Harbour View and St Thomas communities.
Twice per month, the all-male, five-member crew and no fewer than 15 divers/fishermen head out on 45-foot Lola, with two canoes in tow for up to 10 days, hoping to bring back a big haul of a maximum 15,000lb of seafood.
Each trip can take them from 75 to 300 miles off the coast of Jamaica to fishing territories of choice like Pedro Cays, Morant Cays, Bosonovia and Serenella.
Big catch, big gains
On their return to home base at Harbour Head Beach, householders, restaurateurs and seafood lovers are already lined up for the fare of the season - whether it be lobster, shrimp, conch, parrot, snapper, butterfish or any other seafood of choice. Within days, Lola is completely empty.
After they have recovered the $500,000 in expense it takes to make the trip, the approximately 15 fishermen figuratively start reeling in their salaries, which are based on the amount of fish harpooned.
"One diver can shoot up to 1,000lb per trip, which can net him over $80,000 per trip. They can make good money," said Gauntlett.
Their role, however, does not just consist of helping the fishermen to earn a living to feed their families, but also how to wisely invest their earnings while empowering their minds.
Each person enrolled in their employment programme is also mandated to become a member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), of which Deslandes is the vice-president.
"This is not just about providing employment and helping them to be self-sufficient, but they have to educate themselves; uplift, enhance and refurbish their minds; teach their children; wisely use their earnings; we seek to empower them to become self-aware, self-sufficient individuals who can now make a difference in society," said Deslandes.
Renewed pride for the young
The Garveyite said the programme has also helped to make young men, who once were idlers with no hope, now have a renewed pride in themselves.
He also emphasised that "we do not employ lazy people".
They have also identified young men with great potential, like Everton 'Sticky' Brown. Brown is being groomed to become a captain one day. They plan to invest in him by sending him to the Maritime Institute to further educate himself and gain the necessary qualifications.
"We are aware of the limited employment opportunities out there, so we seek to create jobs while educating persons at the same time," said Deslandes.
"Marcus Garvey teaches that man's bread and butter is only insured when he works for it. He teaches if we have no self-confidence, then a man is twice defeated. The only cure for man's enhancement is through Garvey's teachings."
Deslandes and Gauntlett also want those in the programme to be proactive by passing on to others what they have gained.
The partners plan to increase the employment opportunities further by constructing a wharf at their locationat Harbour Head Beach by early next year, which can accommodate more customers.
anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...business1.html
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