Turning now to local news Since Tuesday, we've been reporting on an application for an urgent injunction that the Port of Belize has made to the Supreme Court. They were attempting to stop the Briceno Government from making that 1.5-million-dollar ex gratia payment to stevedores as a goodwill gesture. It's directly connected to the losses in labor earnings that stevedores have incurred and will continue to incur, now that raw sugar exports have migrated from PBL to the Port of Big Creek.
The Ashcroft Alliance argues that this payment is illegal because the government has not gotten Parliament's approval to pay that sum from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
But, as we told you, whether it was by pure coincidence or a calculated move to outmaneuver the Ashcroft Alliance, the government has already disbursed the money to the Christian Workers Union - before any injunction could stop it.
During a press conference hosted by the union at midday, we asked the President to confirm whether or not the money is already in their account. Here's that conversation:
Reporter
"Can you confirm?"
Evan "Mose" Hyde - President, CWU
"Yes, we receive that payment. That was put into our account sometime yesterday afternoon, confirmed."
Daniel Ortiz
"What will be the next step with Will there be any disbursal to the members who obviously could benefit from it?"
Evan "Mose" Hyde
"Yeah, that wheel is in motion presently to get that process properly structured. Simple things like making sure that we have I think one of the logistical issues that we have to resolve is getting a checkbook. But there's every intention to do that as soon as possible. So, I would say the next couple of days that is going to be done. The representatives of the stevedores are engaged in how it is they are going to structure that disbursement. The membership has voted as to its preference as to how they would want to see it disbursed. And, I believe one of the things that the Belizean public is assured because of the agreement that we have signed, but also because it is the principle of this union. That there is going to be a complete printout, and the government is a part of the agreement. If you read it, we are to provide signed receipts for everybody that gets payment from out of that fund. That is going to be something for anybody who has the interest to examine."
