Customs officers on 3-day environmental training

In recent days, news from the Customs Department has been about containers and illegal drugs. But today Senior Officers of the Customs and Excise Department shifted gears to focus on the environment. We’re not talking about the current flooding in western Belize, but an environmental topic of equal importance: the ozone. The three day training of trainers’ workshop began this morning hosted by the Department of the Environment as a part of the third phase of the ozone layer protection program. The program was initiated in 2000 and aims to phase out ozone depleting substances by 2010. The sensitization training will equip customs officials in the prevention of illegal C.F.C. trade and the enforcement of the Ozone Depleting Substances import and export licensing system.

Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer, D.O.E.
“We all know that once something becomes restricted; an item, or even prohibited there’s more possibility of the importation, the illegal imports of such either for use here in Belize or also perhaps for transit to more lucrative markets the U.S., Canada, even México. So as we approach 2010 there is the need to be more vigilant, more concerned and prepared to look for any potential illegal trade of these ozone depleting substances.”

Artie Dubrie, UNEP Trainer
“Belize has import export licensing system which gives the legal instrument in which the enforcement procedure can be implemented. So having the legal framework now, we need to capacitate and continue in the capacitation of our enforcement officers in implementation of this import/export licensing system. So by phasing out of these ozone depleting substances, its double barrel achievement. One: we protect the ozone layer from continuation of depletion and of course we phase out very harmful global warming gases.”

The workshop is a joint initiative of the United Nations Environmental Program, UNEP, Department of Environment and The Customs and Excise Department.