And there is news just in about unrest at the Port of Belize. About 40 angry stevedores are at this hour outside the Port of Belize demanding payment for today. It is an issue because the workers didn’t actually work today because they refused to head out to the sugar barge on a boat which they say was unsafe. But they told us just moments ago why they still deserve payment.
Ervin Slusher, Stevedore
“We have a boat which Port provides for us to go from Point A to Point B. The boat is leaking and we need to, we won’t ride that boat because it is leaking. But now Port is saying that we could go home. I don’t think we should go home back without they provide a money for we because we come out to work, we didn’t come out because we don’t want work. We came out to work so is they who delay the work; they delay the work so to my understanding, I believe that they should pay us our money.”
Stevedore #2,
“We were informed by the captain of the vessel that the boat has a big hole in the bow and at times, he has to ask us to step back in the stern so that the boat doesn’t take much water in the bow. We know it is not sea worthy.”
Ervin Slusher,
“We need to get paid and I believe that we got a union and we should be paid for our day in which we didn’t make anything. All of us were to ride the same boat which is leaking. When it is raining, everybody get wet up.”
Keith Swift,
This boat was going to take you guys where?
Ervin Slusher,
“The sugar ship, that takes us to the sugar ship and bring us back.”
We’ll continue monitoring developments.
