And while that labour dispute is being arbitrated, on a parallel track, the 200 million dollar Waterloo investment plan for the Port of Belize is going to a Department of Environment public consolation tomorrow.
Now, weeks ago, the Prime Minister confirmed that this same investment plan had been rejected by Cabinet - but the Department of the Environment says the Public Consultation the Cargo Expansion and Construction of Cruise Terminal & Cruise Tourism Village Project, Port of Belize will proceed tomorrow.
Today, the union president asked what's up with that and questioned the port's status as being in receivership:
Mose Hyde, President, CWU
"It seems bizarre to me that you would have the government saying that a Cabinet decision has turned down that terminal and then you have the DOE conducting consultations. That's very weird to me even in a country where weird things are a daily occurrence, it's very bizarre."
"Fundamentally how can you seek to exploit your position as a receiver. The position of the receiver is simply to look after the interest of the creditor. The inherent conflict of interest exists if a receiver thinks in an owner kind of way because how can you avoid being accused of not allowing the payment to be settled so that you can take advantage. It's a natural built-in conflict of interest. If the receiver starts to act in a way to give ownership to the creditor. The receivership is simply to procure what belongs to the creditor. The outstanding monies that are to be given there. What we have seen and what we have experienced here is a receivership that has reached its boundaries and so what you have to depend on is a good character and I can say point blank there's a shortage of good character in PBL. So if you have a shortage of character in dealing with something that is as important as the port of Belize where you consistently create an industrial atmosphere that jeopardizes the flow. The smooth flow of business at this point how will you even be thinking about biting off more and how can a government engage with you seeing your conduct and your behavior controlling this most critical national asset."
And, in another update, the Public Consultation on the Waterloo Investment at the port has been postponed. The DOE says that because of COVID 19 it is suspending All public consultations temporarily.
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