Port of Belize Responds to CWU’s Allegations

While the CWU says the Port of Belize is being disingenuous, late this evening the Port of Belize issued a release dispelling what it says were erroneous statements made by the union. In its release, PBL says that there has been no award of compensation to stevedores made by the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal (ESAT), which found that no stevedore was terminated or made redundant by the loss of sugar ships. The company says the fact that none of the workers lost any income has been the basis of the legal position of PBL, but, in a good faith effort, the port proposed a “Redundancy Package” to amicably resolve the issue. The company added that there is a great need for improvements at the facility to ensure it remains a viable option for shippers and establish efficient and cost-effective port services. The company says its 1.5-million-dollar proposal was more than fair and certainly reasonable. The company went on to list several issues the parties are unable to agree on and say that to further put the stevedore situation into perspective, stevedores make over $100 per hour through salaries and production bonuses when they work a container ship. In ending, the PBL notes that it stands ready to resume negotiations in good faith with an informed public, which it ultimately serves.  We note that the release comes after several members of the CWU allegedly attempted to stop a cargo ship from moving by attaching a container to the ship at the port’s pier. Our newsroom did reach out to CWU President, Leonora Flowers, who denied that the men had stopped working and stated that the group was removed from the premises by police.  Additionally, we understand that a voice message sent out by a CWU member, who is employed by the government, alleging to engage in industrial action may have led to the issue.