Yesterday the Christian Workers Union confirmed that the 1.5 million dollars in compensation from the government had already been paid into its account on Wednesday afternoon. With that, it should have been safely squirreled away and out of the reach of the Port of Belize which had tried for an injunction to block government from disbursing the money.
But it was disbursed, and that might have been the end of the legal challenge. But, not for the Ashcroft Alliance, which is legendary for its tenacity in legal matters.
Today the Port of Belize went to the Supreme Court to have its urgent application for an injunction heard before Justice Lisa Shoman. Now, the injunction was to stop the government from disbursing the funds - but, that ship has sailed, and now the Port wants the injunction to stop the CWU from distributing it to its members - and the judge will give them a hearing.
7News has confirmed that there will be a hearing on Monday afternoon to decide whether the CWU should be injuncted from distributing the funds received to stevedores.
So, once again, the CWU finds itself under the gun - and it has to either disburse the funds before Monday afternoon - or end up in court against the Alliance.
It's likely the latter because as the union president disclosed yesterday - they aren't set up like a business don't even have a checkbook:
Evan "Mose" Hyde - President, CWU
"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."
Reporter
"Do you feel that the way things have played out no wah mess wid unu money."
Evan "Mose" Hyde - President, CWU
"I can say this, again, I wish my lawyer was here with me so I can check to see if I can really say what I can say about that. I have to be careful. My lawyer lash me a couple times already, and I don't want to get lashing today, so I could say that we believe that we are good, but I can't speak from a standpoint of legal analysis."
The CWU declined comment today and said he was in conference with the union's attorneys.
We'll let you know on Monday what came out of that hearing.
