The SWTA SWTA cont. To facilitate a strong and viable proposal, SMMA management is planning an extraordinary and challenging Board of Directors meeting to plan specific program elements to be included. This will be the first such meeting with the new Board and will test the functioning of the administrative body of the SMMA under the new institutional arrangement. In attendance were Soufriere District Representative, Dr. Walter Francois, Chief Fisheries Officer and project coordinator, Horace Walters, Deputy Chief Fisheries Officer, Vaughn Charles, three representatives from the Government of Japan and several local fishermen. Based on preliminary assessment by Japanese and local Fisheries officials, a site north of the mouth of the Soufriere River was strongly recommended and accepted.
Project planning is now well underway with a project completion time estimated at two years.
The presentation of a tourism strategy program for Soufriere was made at the Soufriere Town Hall on Wednesday 16 August by the local tourism consultancy firm, CIS and Associates. Presented were both research findings, which included a survey of Soufriere citizens, and specific recommendations for the development of town for the enhancement of tourism. Drafts of the program have been presented to the SRDF with the final report due before the end of September. This year's lobster season opened September 1 with some changes in the licensing system governing the catching and selling of the animals. Special pot-fishing licenses as well as special vendor permits to sell lobster have been issued for the season.