And from consultations with the Mayas to meetings with the stevedores - the interim board of the Port of Belize has been wading through the issues left behind after the government's acquisition. But the stevedores have also written to the government asking for assistance with the legal cost they incurred during the litigation with PBL prior to the acquisition. Today Minister Hyde said that while it hasn't come up in Cabinet, he would fully support it.
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources
"It hasn't come up just yet, but you know I will, you know, I will support whatever benefits the stevedores. The stevedores are, they're legacy, they're Southside legacy. They are our great manhood. These are folks who have represented the best of our communities, and they have gotten a raw deal over the years, particularly in the past, and we are hopeful that with the acquisition of the port, that those things will change, that ultimately the stevedores will be able to work and live with a level of dignity that they deserve. It's going to take a process, I understand there's lot of discussions taking place, I understand that the board has a committee that works, there is a meetings along with the stevedores to try to deal with the issues that are before them that they consider to be very, very serious. But yeah, of course, I would support that in a heartbeat."
