Hundreds of workers block Boca Chica Port

BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic.- Hundreds of longshoremen staged a walkout to halt operations in the port of San Andres, Boca Chica, 30 kilometers east of the capital, to protest the alleged actions against them implemented by the local Customs collector.

The workers, members of 12 unions say Customs official Jesus Peguero does “even the impossible” to get all freight moved to the nearby Caucedo Multimodal Port.

Workers spokesman Juan Garcia said ever since Peguero was designated in the post the official harasses them daily, not only against the port workers, but against his own colleagues as well.

The workers have blocked the port entrance, warning they’ll continue to halt operations until Customs director Rafael Camilo soles the conflict with the collector.

Garcia said despite that the port is the only thing Andres and Boca Chica residents have left to make a living from, they’re also trying to take it away. “We no longer have a sugar mill, a large part of the beach is privatized, we didn’t get jobs in the airport, nor in the Megaport and now they also want to strip us of the harbor.”