Today, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry also signaled its alarm about the many negative impacts that this standoff at the port will cause.
In a 3-page press release, the chamber warns, quote, "Belize's inflation rate was 5.7% in November 2021, the highest reported in over a decade because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sharp increase in goods prices is attributable to the knock-on effects from higher shipping costs, which stem from supply-chain bottlenecks triggered by the pandemic's impact on global markets. …
…Delays put local factories at risk of not supplying their local and foreign customers on time since exports are also shipped by these vessels. As a result, these disruptions also threaten Belize's foreign exchange earnings... End quote.
The Chamber is urging both sides to try and resolve this dispute using the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal, which is currently reviewing this matter. The BCCI's Executive Council members called a virtual press conference to amplify a few of their biggest concerns:
Marissa Longsworth - President, BCCI
"Those costs are going to be passed on, inevitably, to the consumer. So even though we were already facing high prices, although we were already facing these sort of uncontrollable increases in prices, due to just what was happening globally in the shipping industry, we now have what is a local issue, which is the fact that there are going to be even more additional costs on goods due to what is currently happening. As you would have seen in our press release, it's estimated that in a single week, if there are no deliveries, we are looking at possibly 700 containers at least, which are not going to be cleared during this week, which means 700 containers full of supplies for supermarkets, full of supplies for all types of businesses, including essential supplies, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, inputs for those businesses here that create goods for the local market and the export market."
William Usher - Member, BCCI Executive Council
"For those who are exporting, their containers currently are stuck in the port. And so they can't meet their delivery obligation. One of the things is when you are exporting, you and your client basically make a pack on the time of particular goods should be arriving. And when you have your containers stuck inside the port and can't get on the ship, that becomes an issue. In many cases, if you don't deliver on time, again these are penalties. There are costs in terms of delivery on time."
Danny Gutierez - Member, BCCI Executive Council
"In the case of services, in one sector alone - in the BPO sector, for example, there are hundreds of pieces of equipment that were bound to come in over the last few days. Those hundreds of pieces of equipment represented jobs, hundreds, dozens of jobs that will now have to be put off. Those are jobs. That is food on the table that's been denied to our people simply because the goods that they need to be able to set up the equipment in the BPO sector are being denied to them. This cannot continue. This is difficult for the economy. This is difficult for workers. Our health care providers or healthcare sector - it is not only the things that come in to fight COVID. That is enough in and of itself, but also the other medication that other people need - pieces of equipment that are needed in the health care sector. Those are also on those ships."
Jodie Williams - Member, BCCI Executive Council
"One of our importers in Belize has mentioned, if he does not receive his container in a week's time, there will be nothing on the shelves for Belizeans to buy."
We reached out to Evan Mose Hyde, the President of the Christian Workers Union, for comment on the dispute, and he told us, quote, "The situation remains as it was last week despite multiple meetings over the weekend with the Ministry of Public Utilities and the Belize Port Authority. Stevedores continue with Industrial Action." End quote.
We also reached out to Port CEO Andrew Lane for comment, and he told us that he doesn't have much to say on the topic at this time. He also added, quote, "I also do not wish to fan fading flames." End quote.
