Earlier in the news, we showed you the sugar situation up north. But here in the city, the stevedores are still waiting on the money owed to them as determined by the ruling of the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal. The Christian Workers Union has lamented that PBL refused to come to the negotiation table. But now, the port is owned by the government, and has an interim board. So today the stevedores met with the CWU president to discuss the way forward.
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"The board has reached out even before the Christmas holidays, we had a sit down with them and then they had the initial board meeting, they informed us that they'll put together their team and they have actually formally informed us as well that there is a meeting set between them and us set for next week Friday so we're anticipating that that's going to be the first meeting, initial meeting where we're going to be starting with that discussion on the ESAT and the award that should have been negotiated."
Reporter:
"Have the stevedores decided that they are going to work with this interim board even though it's Arturo Vasquez who is the interim CEO."
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"I believe yes because it was the same CEO at the time who signed off on the March 6th agreement in 2020 and so who better to sit across from at a table to say, you signed off that there was an award that should be negotiated so we're back in front of you again to discuss that award so we have agreed and the stevedores are okay with that decision to sit with the interim team and commence that discussion."
"We are going in with confidence and we are expecting what we deserve, what our members deserve so we're not backing down, we are not going in and saying maybe, this is a definite thing."
Reporter:
"How long do you expect that interim board to remain in place until a permanent one is established?"
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"Have no idea, I had said in another interview we wanted the prime minister to tell us what is the interim board? Never before in my years of working have I heard of an interim board and the prime minister has not said anything so we cannot make any comment on that. We hope it won't be too long."
Courtney Menzies:
"Would you prefer to be consulted when new members, or even nominate people, to be part of that permanent board?"
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"It's not that we prefer, it's what we deserve, what we're entitled to as a Belizean people, you don't put people there to represent and don't tell the people who you're supposed to represent."
Reporter:
"Can you tell me if you ever expected that with this new leadership, government owning the Port, that bulk sugar will come back here whenever this port is upgraded?"
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"I never thought that far, as the president of the CWU, I don't think we have even discussed, we have definitely not discussed that with our negotiating team but with politics and government, this is Belize, as we look at the BSCFA having their struggles in the north and we see the Prime Minister traveling to the Vatican, I have no idea why, I myself have been thinking, what's on the horizon for the sugar industry? So anything is possible."
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