Government Allocates $1.5 M for Stevedores

While in Belmopan, the media asked Prime Minister Briceño for an update on the recent impasse between the Port of Belize and stevedores. Government, he said, intervened and will allot the stevedores payment for what they feel they’ve worked for over the years.

John Briceño

John Briceño, Prime Minister

“During the strike action from the C.W.U., we had people talking to the stevedores, trying to get an understanding on what are some of the issues that are have been outstanding for such a long time. One of the issues was the way, the privatization was done. That the stevedores were never taken into account for the number of years of work that they have done during that time. We believe that it’s best to just put this to an end. It is something that needs to be corrected. And, we felt that instead of having this fester can continue every now and again to flare up, because at the end of the day when these things happen it costs everyone including the consumers. As a responsible government, we said let us deal with it once and for all. Minister Chebat, we moved him at the right time because I needed someone technical with a law – in that ministry I felt that we needed someone with a legal background. So, we appointed him right at the right time.

He sat down and had negotiations, respectful negotiations, with the C.W.U. together to come to a compromise. And, they agreed to the 1.5 million dollars. But, it’s not just to give it to them just like that. We’re going to give it to them, and within 90 days, they will have to give a full accounting of every cent that was used—with receipts and names and social security number—to ensure that the money is used fairly. And, that there is full accounting because of tax payers’ money. They have agreed to that, and I believe they will do such thing. Now, a part of the negotiations also is the M.O.U. that was signed. Because the stevedores does not work straight hours like all of us, you go in and work 40 hours a week, they only work when there is a ship. And sometimes when they come in they work some inhumane hours. They have not been able to get registered under social security. And, it is unfair to them because they are also workers. And so, from when I met with them from in December, I took it upon myself to tell them that we will meet with the Social Security management and see how we can amend this act and see how they can also be registered as employees.”