Tortuguismo Continues in Limón; First Cruise Ship Arrives Today
There seems to be no solution to the current labour dispute between the government and the workers of the Japdeva, in ending the "tortuguismo" - work slowdown - at the ports of Limón. Yesterday, both sides announced their failure in reaching a consensus and getting the Puerto de Limón and Puerto Moín operating normally.

The Ministro de Trabajo (Labour Minister) Francisco Morales was in the Caribbean port on Saturday to meet and dialogue with the leaders of the workers union, Sindicato de Trabajadores de Japdeva (Sintrajap).

"They sent him to war without the guns", said Leroy Pérez, Sintrajap press secretary.

Pérez said that nothing new was brought to the negotiations table, adding that he believes their (the government) intentions are good but have nothing new to offer.

The union is pressuring the government to abandon plans to privatize the Limón docks, while the governnment is staying firm in its promise to the people of Limón and cites the figures released last week on the success of the Caldera docks that were privatized in August.

President Oscar Arias has maintained that if Limón has a chance to develop it needs to modernize the docks and the only way it can happen is by an investment by private business as the government doesn't have the funds to do so.

The original issue of a payment of ¢450 million colones that was negotiated by a collective agreement in 2005 by the Pacheco administration is still up in the air, said Pérez. The government announced the day the work slowdown commenced that it found the money to pay the workers, however, according to Pérez, "the authorization from the Comptroller's office has still not been obtained."

Pérez added "the Minister (Labour) came here to tell us that if we end the work slowdown he will remove the police, however, that is not sufficient."

Police were moved in several days after the beginning of the work slowdown and have been in place ensuring movement into and from the ports. However, police don't have the expertise to operate the machinery and the government has threatened to bring in Colombian crane operators to get the docks moving at full speed.

The work slowdown has meant long lines of loaded trucks waiting to enter the ports. The wait is up to 12 or more hours as crane operators are moving some 10 containers in a hour instead of the 40 that is considered normal.

One of the main concerns for the government is how the work slowdown will affect tourism.

Today, the first cruise ship arrives at the Muelle Alemán.

Union leaders assure that the work slowdown will not affect tourism.