PM and C.W.U. President are Circumspect on Details of New Agreement

While they were all smiles, the Prime Minister and the C.W.U. President would not divulge details of their agreement with the media.  Instead PM Briceño alluded to the fact that they have essentially agreed on the number of gangs that will be servicing these large vessels that call to port in the Belize City harbor.

 

Reporter

“Would you be able to go into the details of the agreement at this time?”

 

Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Worker’s Union

“Not at this time.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“No, we don’t really want to go, but basically we’ve agreed to the number of gangs that we’re going to have, how many gangs or how many members per gang, which already most of it is already listed out in the present CBA.  That is not going to change.  We also have agreed now that the big ships will be able to have two gangs working so that the big ships would no longer have to wait until the gang rests and comes back to offload.  So these are the things that are going to benefit the Port of Belize by increasing and improving efficiency.  Also, obviously it will also benefit our consumers because at the end of the day they have to pay for this.  And, thirdly, it also benefit’s the stevedores because, then again, they, I believe, would then be able to more effectively, more efficiently, I hope, that they will be able to be rewarded for their work.”