Scarborough businessmen hoping to revive economy with Fisherman's Fest

SCARBOROUGH businessmen are hoping that their Fishermans’ Fest on April 7 – Good Friday – will help to revitalise the town’s economy and by extension, that of the island, post-covid19.

The inaugural event is expected to take place along Milford Road, near to the I Love You Tobago sign, from 9 am-1am on Glorious Saturday.

Businessman Raphael Ben Yisrael, who conceptualised the idea, told Newsday, “This is actually about boosting business for the small businessmen who have come on board. So this will be targeting them.”

Ben Yisrael is the owner of RI-UP (Raphael Imperial Upliftment) a small contracting company/mini mart, situated just off Gardenside Street.

He claimed that some of the events held in Scarborough within recent times, such as the February Carnival, were disappointing in terms of crowd support.

But Ben Yisrael observed the fireworks display on Independence Day attracted tremendous patronage.

“What I observed in Scarborough for the fireworks is that everybody enjoyed that day and the businesses enjoyed making money with the kind of people that was in town, up and around.”

He said he was encouraged by the turnout on Independence Day and felt that a “new event” could be added to Tobago’s cultural calendar.

Ben Yisrael said he took his idea to other entrepreneurs as well as the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA).

“Scarborough was really dead so we decided to find a time when we are not competing with no other festival and create opportunities for the people to have some fun and the businesspeople to make some money. So Scarborough is alive and things are going to be happening in the near future.”

He said some businessmen have already pumped money into the event but major sponsors are yet to come on board.

Ben Yisrael declined to give the figure they are working with currently but said some people have agreed to sponsor certain events.

He said the event will not follow the usual "fisherman fete" format.

“We will have a fishing tournament, a well-stocked bar, food and music. But we have decided to add a little flavour to the event.”

It will feature a five-kilometre race from Crown Point to Scarborough and All-Fours, chess, arm wrestling and greasy pole competitions. There will also be a bouncy castle and other games for children.

Ben Yisrael added the Tobago Agri-Business Development Company Ltd will also be preparing fish broth for the event.

“We will be catering for a wide cross section of Trinidad and Tobago because Easter is a time when a lot of foreigners and Trinis are on the island.”

In terms of the fishing competition, Ben Yisrael said individual prizes will be awarded for the most unique, fastest and largest catch.

He urged people to turn out in their numbers to support the event.

ATFA president Curtis Douglas applauded the ground-breaking venture.

He said when people visit Tobago this weekend, they are guaranteed “a full offering of the island’s heritage and the stories that were told in books on the island’s history.

“So what this fisherman’s fest does is give people a part of that tradition when they come to Tobago,” Douglas said.