The Guatemalan Exporters Association wishes to express to the different sectors involved in the current crisis affecting transport and the free movement of people and goods, the need to remedy the situation.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT):
Agexport, in light of the strikes held by some heavy transport drivers on different roads, ports and customs offices in the country, states:
In Costa Rica the will of the state to impose the rule of law against the de facto power exercised by any conglomerate continues to shrink.
The concessionaire APM Terminals has reported losses of up to $200,000 a day because of blockades by truckers who are obstructing the route to the construction site for the container terminal in Moin.
At least 200 carriers have blocked route 257 in the Caribbean of Costa Rica for a fifth day, which has brought economic losses both for companies who have to use this route as well as the Dutch company APM Terminals. The road in question leads to the construction site of the Moin Container Terminal (TCM). According to APM Terminals each passing day will mean losses of some $200,000.
The Government and the union agreed to meet in the coming days to resolve complaints made by the industry, which resulted in two days of strikes and business losses of at least $10 million.
The blockade by truckers on the border between Costa Rica and Panama, organized by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacarga) and the Truckers Union of Chiriqui (Sicachi), was suspended on the night of February 16, after a party from the Government of Panama went from the capital to the province of Chiriqui.
The union has exhausted dialogue with the regional government of Chiriqui and is a blockading the border preventing the movement of freight carriers in Central America.
The provincial government in Chiriqui has failed to prevent Panamanian carriers, organized by the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation in Panama, (Canatraca) from indefinitely blocking the passage of trucks across the border in Paso Canoas (information at time of going to press at 3:30 p.m).
For the private sector work stoppages at the ports of Limon in Costa Rica, have reaffirmed the urgent need for the country to build a port terminal in the Caribbean.
Costa Rican ports move the majority of cargo from international trade from Nicaragua, therefore abnormalities in the terminal operations affect the transit of Nicaraguan goods, because of the lack of a port on the Caribbean coast.
A constitutional court has rejected appeals by port unionists and announced that the construction of the Container Terminal at Moin will begin in early 2015.
From a statement issued by APM Terminals:
San José, Costa Rica, October 9. The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Costa Rican Government and APM Termináis in an appeal filed by the port workers unión against the 33-year concession contract for the new Moin Container Terminal (TCM) in Limón on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Only cargo destined for El Salvador should be charged with the $18 fee for the inspection with scanner, request freight carriers.
According to the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), this fee violates conventions and trade agreements in the region. In addition, they believe that the inspections and the time it takes to submit all shipments to the procedures are excessive.
The regional union of freight carriers is protesting about the fee for inspections using scanners at Salvadoran customs offices and the delays it has generated.
The Central American Freight Council declared a protest strike at Salvadoran borders over the payment of $18 for the inspection of cargo travelling overland.
Port workers hindered the use of private forklifts for unloading ships carrying fruit.
The measures taken by the Union of Workers of Japdeva (Sintrajap) could cause a boat being delayed by up to 32 hours in the port and overall operations to fall behind.
Nacion.com reports that "workers are complaining that there are more than 35 damaged trucks which are have been abandoned for over a year and there is no investment in new equipment." Currently there are only 15 pieces of equipment used for loading and unloading goods.
After the Salvadoran Supreme Court suspended the Fonat law, carriers decided to resume their work.
"There is no longer a reason for the strike," said Raul Alfaro, president of the Association of International Cargo Transporters (ASTIC).
"The Chamber accepted a constitutional challenge submitted by the ASTIC against the collection of accident insurance, namely the Fund for Victims of Traffic Accidents (Fonat), from which the Legislature excluded foreign transporters, but not Salvadorans," noted an article in Elsalvador.com.
The Central Council of Transport has announced a three-day strike in protest against El Salvador levying a tax on freight carriers of between $35 and $250.
Laprensa.com.ni reports that "the measure will affect all regional trade, because the rest of the international freight carriers from the isthmus will join the strike 'in solidarity' in order to send a message to other governments who have created new taxes on trade merchandise ... ".
The main freight union of Central America has issued an ultimatum to the government of El Salvador to modify the collection of the new tax levied at customs offices.
Representatives of these unions which integrate the Central American Council of Transport have given a deadline of May 31 to amend this charge, otherwise on that date, if Congress has not amended the law which created the new tax, the truckers will go on strike for an undefined period causing heavy losses to Central American companies.
The obligation to take out insurance with Mexican companies has annoyed freight carriers who have announced that they will not travel through Aztec territory.
Starting on September 3, the deadline for the enforcement of the provision, Guatemalans carriers have said they will longer go into Mexico.
Two years ago Mexican and Guatemalan government authorities signed an agreement under which Guatemalan freight carriers have to meet a series of standards, among which is taking out transport insurance, with Mexican companies, equivalent to 19,000 salaries in the Federal District of Mexico.
The strike ended when the government agreed with the unions to finance finance the modernization of the docks.
Financing of $70 million is needed, of which the state will put up $40 million and Japdeva administrators the remaining $30 million.
With that amount, the docks of Limon and Moin would eventually be modernized and become competitive.
An article in Nacion.com reports that the rates charged on those ports will have to rise, quoting Carlos Ricardo Benavides, Minister of the Presidency who said: "Of course this will involve an adjustment in rates so that debt can be properly paid".
Spirit’s pilots went back to work; the company will resume operations on Friday 18.
The pilots of the airline, together with the International Pilot’s Association (ALPA) announced that they’ve reached a tentative agreement with the company.
The new contract, unanimously recommended by the pilot’s union, must still be ratified by ALPA.
In order to compensate its customers for the time off the air, the airline is offering a special promotion, consisting on a $50 coupon and 5,000 miles for its Free Spirit customer program.