So, the only activity at the Port is the sit-in being staged by
stevedores and Port employees in the shed and on the roadside next to
the Port.
And that's where we found Minister of Transport Edmond Castro today. He
wasn't there stumping for votes or elaborating on police, he was giving
out sal' beef tacos - which is a whole other story.
But, we did have some very serious questions for him as Minister with
responsibility for Ports. Here's that exchange:
Jules Vasquez
"The port authority last night sent out a notice to this port that it's
security classification has moved from 1 to 3, that renders the port
inoperative. What is the status of that right now? I know there has been
talks between the port authority and the Port of Belize."
Hon. Edmond Castro - Minister of Transport/NEMO
"It's a talk that is continuing and I think that hopefully by the end of
today or sometime, we will have some kind of clarity but in the event that
this port cannot function, we are also in negotiation and talking with Big
Creek Port to take some of the cargo ships that would be coming into
Belize. We cannot stop ships coming into Belize, good and services coming
into Belize, we can't stop that, so we must have an alternative to this
situation."
Jules Vasquez
"This security 3 classification, how long will this stand?"
Hon. Edmond Castro
"I am hoping that calm heads will prevail and that we will be able to
resolve this situation rather quickly."
Jules Vasquez
"Now the port of Belize is blaming the stevedores, they sent out a press
release saying that it's the stevedores fault breaching the thing, and this
has implications for international trade etc."
Hon. Edmond Castro
"How could they be so brutal? How could they ask a brother, a sister,
firing that person via text and ask them to be happy. I think that is the
most ludicrous foolishness I have seen or heard in a long time. The owners
and operators of Port of Belize, man they should have known better, that's
not how you handle people but if the workers out here feel like a grief and
they are doing a sitting like they are doing now and protesting peacefully,
I don't see no problem with that. The message should be sent to the owners
of Port of Belize that man you can't treat fi we people like no damn
puppy."
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