And changing gears now to labour issues at the Port of Belize, the stevedores entered their third day of strike this morning. Minister of state for Labour Dr. Carla Barnett had already intervened and set up a meeting to hear both sides out this afternoon. And while they waited on that, the stevedores kept up their day and night vigil at the Port of Belize. But, this morning, the tone of their industrial action changed when they noted that a cargo ship had docked at the Pierhead, and they concluded that the Port Management was trying to go behind their back to offload the ship. And that's when they moved to shut the port entrance down. Jules Vasquez was there:
Today, on the third day of their strike the Stevedores blocked the gate and stopped cargo trucks from going into the Port of Belize. With an afternoon meeting pending, they felt it was a disrespect designed to undermine their strike.
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"We have no intention of going unto the property, we have no intention of going it not the offices - we have no intention of destroying anything. We have every commitment; we are not going to be undermined by any crane equipment or any attempt to have containers come off of those ship without stevedores."
Inside, trucks were at standstill - basically blocking any movement, and, so, the Port was unable to offload a ship that docked the night before.
Police came to try and regulate the situation but clearly did not want to push or provoke the stevedores who have been out there for three days.
Guy Neal, Stevedore Negotiating Team
"I want to make it clear that we don't have any problem with the police. We made them know that they have to be out here and we don't have any problem with them, but we will maintain that no containers come off that ship and like I said before you have Lopez and Vega who coincide with us and they block off up there that nothing can't come out of the Port. So thanks to them."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"What the truckers did prevented this situation from becoming absolute chaos and mayhem. What they did was essentially preserve the possibility of us working around a table to make this happen around the table rather than it just deteriorate into full conflict."
This is a very different script from December of 2004 when it did erupt into conflict as stevedores - many of them still round today stormed the Port, and mounted a container as a command post.
And on that day it was the then leader of the opposition who was advocating for the workers:
Hon. Dean Barrow
"Its a bad faith if the Port doesn't allow the union to sign."
16 year later today, they; they're still waiting to sign, but no one broke the barriers, the stevedores held the line and kept the peace, while the police fell back packed up and many of them left.
Making way for the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams - ode a listening ear:
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"We were caught completely surprised that they would try a stunt like that. That is what provoked our members, but we have been clear, we have been communicating with our members and if you get report from your officers we have not try to go on that property, we are just insisting we are not allowing any equipment to come here that's going to be involve with undermining our position."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"So you want the Port management to understand that no movement of containers."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"Let the process work with negotiations."
Commissioner Williams went in to do his own negotiation - but what he came out with was not so well received.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I have discussed with the CEO the issue about the movement of the containers and those that were being moved were not those that the stevedores would normally be involved with. Nonetheless, that will not happen until after the meeting this afternoon. I spoke to the minister of labour as well and she has assured that the meeting will take place as planned this afternoon and then we will see where it go from there, but one of the issue the CEO is saying at this time they don't know what the demands are, so I would suggest that you something and outline what the demands are. We just want the matter to resolve peacefully so we don't have to go through all kind of whatever. Let's try to do it peacefully and see how it goes from there."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"But why is there an introduction of problem when our members are just standing for their rights, without having engaging in anything at all which is illegal."
Chester Williams
"That is fully understandable, but like I said if it is what he is saying that you have not outlined what the issues are then how are they going to address that."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"That is a process that is dealt with through the ministry of labour and the process of our negotiations."
Chester Williams
"I believe that that will be dealt with through them, I'm just saying that they said they have not received any as yet."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"It's important to understand that just as the have certain rights as a citizen, as a corporate citizen, our members have rights as citizens of Belize."
Chester Williams
"There is an essential service act which clearly states what are the process to be followed when it comes to situations like this and we have not been..."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"This is starting to feel like a preemptive threat, commissioner."
Chester Williams
"No Mose man. You have to follow the law, brother."
Evan "Mose" Hyde, President - CWU
"I am very uncomfortable with what you are saying to me. We don't want any problems, we just want the situation remedied. Our members want to be making their money. They want get back to work and make their money."
Chester Williams
"We have to see what the meeting this afternoon with the ministry of labour is going to yield. I would trust that cool heads will go to the meeting and try to arrive at some amicable solution and move forward without having to resort to any further actions."
Reporter
"Why do you have to get involved, you do have an officer commanding eastern division."
Chester Williams
"Well if you can see the divisional commander is out here and Mr. Dawson is currently occupied with COMSTAT meeting in eastern division and as the commissioner I believe I can come and see if I can use my influence with a view to defuse the matter peacefully."
And once these cranes remained inactive peace did prevail meaning the stevedores had their way in enforcing the stoppage of work at the country's sovereign port for another day.
Unable to offload, today's container ship left at 1:20 to its next stop in Santo Thomas. It is the BEC ship which had 60 containers onboard for Belize.
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