And, speaking of stevedores...
On Wednesday's episode of Uncut on Channel 7, we asked the Minister responsible for Port about the stevedores, and their major loss in earnings.
Ferguson was asked to share his views on the plight of the waterfront workers who are negatively impacted due to the shift in bulk exports of raw sugar from the Port of Belize to the Port of Big Creek.
Here's the back and forth on that issue:
Jules Vasquez, Host
"So you don't stand with the stevedores, you said you sympathize, but you feel that like what Jose Mai said, you need to find a new line of work. That's what it seems that you are..."
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson - Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and Transport
"I will not say that, okay."
Jules Vasquez, Host
"You said that its archaic."
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson
"I'm not saying that I'm not with the stevedores. If the port of Belize had done the necessary upgrade, then there should have been no issue with bulk sugar coming to the port of Belize. Any investor will look at the figures and say this doesn't make sense and I say with due respect to the stevedores whenever they start any negotiations or any talk with the port of Belize, then they wait until maybe a sugar ship is inland to say you know what a ship is here so we can start to bargain and that is their right and their privilege, so I have no objection with that."
Jules Vasquez, Host
"However, so in this whole thing, you are clearly not on the side of the port of Belize, you feel that they should have upgraded, you're clearly not on the side of stevedores who you feel have outmoded work model or business model, so you feel that Big Creek is the best place for the sugar ship, based on the economic realities."
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson
"I did not say I am not on the side of the stevedores. I'm talking about the situation at the port of Belize. To be honest they are people with my color. Most of them could be my relatives, because my mom comes from Belize City and so I am quite sure the somebody amongst them is related to me and so BSI decided to go south. That is there business, they are looking for the best option. Big Creek is my constituency, yes, that's understood, but not because of that I will encourage anybody to move, because Big Creek is in my constituency. Big Creek has developed itself over the years and they have their own business partners in terms of freight and cargo."
Jules Vasquez, Host
"What I am not hearing from you is some special dispensation should be given to the stevedores, because of the socio-economic reality."
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson
"There may be other options and I think government need to look around and see how they can create other opportunities for them. With stake bank coming on stream maybe by next year, there should be some negotiations to figure how we can cater for some of these stevedores."
