KARACHI, June 21: The newly-elected chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society has a tough time ahead to tackle a host of lingering issues being faced by the fishermen community and seafood industry.
There are a number of issues that could not have been resolved over the past two years as the managing committee constituted after the elections of Aug 4, 2004 could not take decisions on vital issues relating to fish industry, because of its limited mandate, according to sources.
Among the most pressing problems are dispute over dues between the FCS and the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority, improving hygienic condition in the harbour, improving revenue generation by curbing leakages in the market, overstaffing, exorbitant administrative expenses, illegal removal of employees retrenched by the previous administrations.
The administrative crisis that had hit the fisheries sector in 2003 ran into the following year 2004 and persisted in 2005-2006. The crisis was created after the departure of naval personnel, who had taken over harbour temporarily and had been running its affairs.
During this period, the working conditions of the Karachi Fish Harbour improved and a significant improvement was witnessed in the revenue of the FCS as well. There seemed a close understanding between the two key organisations of the harbour during that period.
The two organisations have always been at loggerheads over ground rent issue. It was resolved when the FCS agreed to clear its dues by paying a sum of Rs10 million per annum on account of availing the port facilities to the KFHA.
However, the dispute persisted during the following years when the charge was handed over to a civilian chairman, as the elected directors of the FCS took the plea that the Society would not pay the ground rent unless the issue of harbour assets was decided.
Sources pointed out that the income of the Society after the departure of naval personnel declined and attributed it to the leakages in market which was controlled by a mafia with the collaboration of certain FCS officials. The sources said that the lack of understanding among the key stake-holders of the harbour had led to the deterioration in the general conditions of the harbour.
The elections of chairman and vice-chairman, which were due after Aug 4, 2004, were postponed despite the fact that the composition of the 15-member board had been completed. The government, instead of convening the board’s meeting to elect a new chairman and vice-chairman appointed a three-member committee to run the affairs of the Society.
Sources said that the committee did not make significant progress. It’s decision to retrench more than 300 employees tarnished its image. Although the committee was headed by a senior public servant, he was not properly briefed on the affairs of the harbour and the FCS.
During this period, the Society was run by a few highly paid officials who created a mess. Sources said that instead of sacking all the new employees in one go, a scrutiny committee should have been constituted to ascertain the new requirements of the Society, as most of the employees had been appointed in lower categories. Many of the sacked employees, who served the Society for more than a year, had not been paid their salaries.
It is pertinent to note that while the FCS was in crisis during 2004-2005, seven elected directors being chosen by fishermen community had been engaged in in-fighting and one of their senior colleagues joined the government nominated managing committee. The government took full advantage of the split when it suddenly called the board’s meeting on June 14, 2004 and managed to capture both the prestigious offices leaving them in the lurch.
Observers said this situation was not favourable for the government.
By keeping away the elected directors in management of the harbour, it would face a formidable task in the future because without their cooperation the affairs of the Society as well as the harbour could not run smoothly.
Overcoming the administrative crisis is essential not only for the government, FCS and KHFA, but all other stake-holders mainly the fishermen community and all those associated with the fisheries sector as the issues of administration, security and development are also a few of the unresolved matters. The parameters of FCS and KFHA are not clear as yet.
The FCS new chairman will have to play a vital role in keeping its house in order and bridging the gap between the two important organisations.
