The Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association (B.F.C.A.) on Friday was presented with a Sony laptop computer and accessories as well as significant fisheries publications. The donation is part of the Implementing the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy which fosters the positioning and engaging of fisherfolk organizations. It also aims to improve the quality of life of fisherfolk and facilitate better engagement for the implementation of key regional policies. The regional initiative is being made to ensure that the B.F.C.A. is able to continue the work of exchanging information and improve interacting with their colleagues across the region and in Belize. The presentation was made by Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism.

Milton Haughton, Executive Director, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism

Milton Haughton

"One of the final activity we have to do under this project is to present you with a computer. So on behalf of this project, on behalf of our partner the C.R.F.M. and the C.N.F.O., I present this laptop computer to you. The purpose of that laptop is to ensure that you are able to continue the work in communicative, exchanging information, sharing information and interacting with your colleagues across the region, as well as in Belize. Information sharing, the use of information technology, that the way it should go. And we are hoping that through the new website that was developed with funding under this project, this hardware that you have and this training sensitization that have been provided to representative to the fisher folk organization and various I.C.T. tools that this will go a long way in strengthening the interactions as well as the governance arrangements and your ability to participate in decision-making process, locally, nationally as well as regionally."

BCFA Chairman, Pedro Alvarez, received the donation on the association's behalf.�

Channel 5