Title: Legal Questions Arise Over Government's Role in Bridgetown Fishing Boat Destruction: Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne Seeks Accountability

Dujon pointed to a lack of guidance and support from policymakers as a significant factor in the crisis.

“The reality is that policymakers were the ones to advise our fisherfolks on what is the best way to secure the vessels – and this was not done,” she said, expressing frustration over the government’s failure to provide adequate instructions and resources.

“This morning, we were seeing those damaged boats and those damaged vessels being hauled out. It tells us again that this administration does not want to take accountability. There’s no accountability in this government. And as a result, poor people, our civilians, our citizens, and the common man have to suffer because someone or some individuals did not think or believe that it was important enough to advise them.”

Dujon also attacked critics of fisherfolk, condemning what she called victim blaming. She contended that in the situation, they “did not have a choice”.

“And I want to make that very clear. What we’re seeing on social media — the blame or what we call the victim blaming of our fisherfolks needs to stop.”

She stressed the need for solidarity and support, urging the public not to turn their backs on those affected.

“We as a country have to understand that there is a difference between politics and governance,” she said. “And what we experience there is something. This is history; we had never experienced that before. And we need to understand that we need to support our fisherfolks. We need to support the common man.”

The DLP executive member called for a probe into the handling of the crisis, seeking accountability for the mismanagement that left the fisherfolk in such dire straits.

“We are calling for an investigation as to exactly what occurred to those fisherfolks who are left at the perils of this government and are suffering because of the mismanagement of this matter that occurred there,” she said. “The entire issue also has to focus on how we treat human rights in this country.”

Also calling for a rethinking of how society values and compensates those in essential industries, Dujon further noted that justice and accountability must guide government actions.

“And I believe that it’s important that when we think or even speak about compensation, it’s really a matter of justice. And what we saw and what taxpayers need to keep in mind when we compensate persons, it is [our] taxpayers’ monies that are paying for mismanagement and poor judgement of government policies,” she said.

She also called for a change in how society values and supports fishing and farming: “Too often we have neglected those industries, not only agriculture but the fishing industry, because we believe that those industries do not impact our society. And I believe that this experience will teach us something that we need to take over for generations to come.”