Over 180 Stevedores Collect Ex-gratia Payment from Government
And while the legal wrangling continues, this morning one hundred and eighty-five stevedores and their substitutes received cheques that were disbursed through the National Bank from the government of Belize. The payout, all one point five million dollars of it, is the ex-gratia compensation G.O.B. feels the workers are entitled to for whatever violations the privatization of the Port in 2002 might have been committed against them. But when they went to collect their cheques, they were not able to immediately cash them. News Five later found out the bank did not have sufficient funds to pay out all that money in one morning. One of the stevedores, Elsworth Willoughby, told us he needs the money because an injury he suffered on the job a month ago confined him to a wheel chair, unable to work.
Elsworth Willoughby
Elsworth Willoughby, Stevedore, Port of Belize Limited
“We are here still waiting for someone to give us the details. I really, really need my money because probably I mussy wa have to try seek further attention with my hand, cause if yoh watch the hand, the hand swell, see. During the time of the strike, the first day, Friday January twenty-eighth, going back to roll call at eight a.m. in the morning, when we gone fi work the ship – we were working and in the night time a little bit after eight, that’s the time when I get injured. That’s the time when the container hit me. Right now I’m seeking legal advice because I’m in a lot of pain and right now the bills are up and I can’t work right now because if yoh watch the foot, ih bruk three spots. This is where the doctor opens to check it to see if it’s healing. Check the hand, my hand is like a robot. And then my medication already finished and I’m not working, understand and the medication is a lot of money so that’s why I need my money. I nuh di ask deh fi give me, I just need my money soh I could go and buy my food and provide for my children. The guys who are in the gang, it works out to about nine thousand and odd dollars per gang man.”
Marion Ali
“I see one of your colleagues – maybe he’s the leader of one of your gangs – taking down your names and particulars on a piece of paper. What’s that for?”
Elsworth Willoughby
“Well, they said who has an Atlantic Bank account. Probably we could get it through the Atlantic Bank account. Then I think five persons can go on that account and you could get your money. But for those who don’t have Atlantic Bank account or couldn’t get someone with one, I think it’s going to be hard.”
When we called Christian Workers’ Union President, Evan “Mose” Hyde this afternoon, he explained that the problem with the cheque cashing was expected to be sorted out by day’s end.
