ST. GEORGE‘S, Grenada: Fishermen in Grenada have proposed to government the use of designated fishing boats to carry out rescue missions at sea. In turn, Minister of Fisheries Gregory Bowen has pledged Government’s support in the refund of fuel costs incurred in these searches. The fishermen also requested a VHF 24-hour monitoring station to provide weather forecasts and enhance safety, which the Minister agreed to examine. The fishermen further requests of the government to upgrade and revise the list of items on which concessions are given and to ensure that the importers of fishing equipment, including gears and engines, pass on the concessions to fishermen, and to reduce the bureaucracy of the purchasing process. Minister Bowen gave the assurance that he would discuss the concerns of fishermen regarding fuel rebates and a one stop system for purchasing duty free items with the Ministry of Finance. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com