GOB to lose millions of dollars as British Government is ending jungle training in jewel
There is grave news to report tonight that will put the government out of pocket by millions of dollars. Today’s edition of London’s based Telegraph newspaper, reports that the British Ministry of Defense has announced that the British government is ending jungle training in Belize. Reports of the closure were in the air for some time, and in November we had raised the issue in discussions with the British High Commissioner on our Morning Show, Open Your Eyes. Patrick Ashworth at the time told us that Britain was cutting down the size of its troops worldwide as part of a cost saving exercise. There were no specifics at the time how BATSUB would be affected. The issue from our reports, government was advised on Tuesday of the cut down and a briefing was held earlier today at Price Barracks. But because of the censorship of this station, News Five was not included. This is despite what government said in its public advisory that this station would be invited to events that include the entire media pool.
But back to the story carried in today’s Telegraph. The article says that the departure of three thousand troops a year has led to fears that the country “will be more vulnerable to foreign invasion.” The article also confirmed that the British army has ceased the main emergency air evacuation by stopping its helicopters from responding as an air ambulance. If that is bad news, then it only gets worst, because the reduction in troops also translates into a nine million pounds loss to the economy, in local Belize dollars that is an equivalent of twenty-seven million nine hundred and forty-five thousand dollars. It also means that one hundred and sixty Belizeans will be losing their jobs at a time when the unemployment lines are growing longer from day to day.
As an alternative for training grounds, the British are looking at the United States. But the telegraph states that will come with a price tag and that Belize provides for free, access to five thousand square miles of jungle for primary testing exercises. The cut-back, which has been done in consultation with the Belize government, would only remain open from a “reduced level” next year, says the article. The British troops have been using our vast expanse of jungle for training since 1981. We contacted BATSUB this evening but could not get a comment because senior personnel were out. Click here to view entire document.
Well how do you like that they are taking away our training wheels we are all on our own now, guess we are all grown up and to think that the US could have helped but they chose not to probably since we have a PM that knows everything and don’t want any help from anywhere he already have it all worked out see he is raising the price of fuel to fill in the gaps guess we will also be having more airplanes landing on our highways but not to worry there are enough criminals running around with ak47 this will be a real test for them to see how well they can defend the home front or if they are just a bunch of cowards that only shoots at those who can’t defend themselves.
Russia would be more happy to have a military station in Belize.
We need to stop be dependent on the U.S. or U.K.
I don’t really see the logical of having the Queen of England as our queen…how does the UK helps Belize??? when was the last time they offered assistance in the infrastructure of Belize??? WHEN???
Cuba has helped Belize with hundreds of scholarships and doctors….Venezuela with monetary assistance and eyes-operation assistance to hundreds of Belizeans…Mexico has given hundreds of scholarships to Belize….
Its a pattern, developing countries helping developing countries….
when was the last time you heard the U.S. or England offering hundreds of scholarships to Belizeans…probably they only offer 5 scholarships to Belizeans per year or less…I am being very empirical….
The US and the UK only invest on this that will benefit them…its always on their interest….The assistance of US and UK has only being military….does this benefit the average Belizean??? education is the best investment that they could also invest but they don’t do that…
ITS ALL ABOUT THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES INTEREST….
I know Belizeans will criticize me because they are indoctrinated by the U.S. media that are definitely bias and influence the way people perceive the reality. Belizeans i hope u all look beyond your nose and have a futuristic perspective..
I recommend Belizeans not to only watch Western Media like CNN but other like France 24 [ http://www.france24.com/en/ http://www.france24.com/en/aef_player_popup/france24_player# ] RT [ http://rt.com/on-air/ ], Deutsche Welle [ http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,9102,00.html ], Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai [ http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ ]……this are multilingual broadcasting that provides a different view of the World News and not how the US wants us to see it….this broadcasting are non bias and very objective.
THE US NOR THE UK want developing countries to prosper…
http://www.documentarywire.com/the-new-american-century/
see the video to open you eyes
I agree with the Real Analyzer we need to quit looking at bias news from the US and UK Look at Global News very informative and yes Venezuela would be more than willing to help Belize
Guess its also time to take “lizzy” from our dollar bills…..we continue to pledge homage to a Crown that has been a dirty rotten scoundrel from the old days. As history shows, they raped and plundered the poor Caribbean countries, in Bze case, took all the logwood and mahogany and then disappear…..its time we learn to stand on our own, and guess we shud have kicked them on their butt before they said goodbye.
Who tell hell will want to attack belize?what a joke.the britiish soldiers migh end up here in the USA????????hahahahahah,no foreign army has a base in the USA,they come here for courses,thats it.
I totally agree with Real Analyzer, but one thing we have to keep in mind that once the british leave our jewel, the amount of soldiers we have is not enough “IF” guatemala would want to invade we’re not prepared. we lack amount, tactics and weapons and a bunch of other stuff like planes. so lets see what barrow have to tell the country now that we’re on our on after they leave. will he find protection for borders with the mininum soldiers we have or what’s he’s plan, since these is gonna reach the ears of the politicians in guatemala like good news. let’s hope for the best.
Maybe this is good news in disguise. Now that they are gone, maybe Belize wont have a constant flow of grenades on the streets of Belize. For those who dont know, all those grenade attacks that traumatized Belizeans over the past few years, ALL came from BATSUB (British Forces in Belize.)
What ticked me off more is that they never took responsibility and never offered to help removing the grenades from the street. They did not even give an explanation as to how the grenades made it to the streets or even offer an apology.
No body gives a rats @$$ about England again anyway. We need to be building alliances with countries like China and Korea not a dying relic.
Finally what has been masked as “jungle training” is at least in part a cover up for a vacation destination for the Brits. Go out to St. George’s Caye and see what the Brits are doing. They are all drinking beer and getting the sun tan going. Throw in some scuba diving and snorkeling and you have a nice free vacation spot.
I say GOOD RIDDANCE!!
Belizean Pride
Even with the Brits there, there was not enough soldiers or resources to counter a Guatemala attack.
So that point is moot.
Josie
I agree with you 100%. I am willing to bet that today, we get more in the form of assistance from Taiwan and Venezuela than we get from the Brits.
Irrespective of what you may think about Taiwan’s and Venezuela’s agenda, the proof is in the pudding.
jaskim
The British already raped our Country and apparently there is more sweets in the Jewel for them.
all this is dean barrow’s fault he doesn’t agree to international laws\rules and tatz wat has happened now with the british removing their military assistance to Belize….it has to see all with dean barrow hijacking BTL from ashcroft’,its POLITRICKS.”wat will dis mean is tat does employees are now jobless… and with the high cost of living,there’s no jobs where will they get a job? I hope dean barrow has one ready fi give dem. and with the crime situation out of control and with our governemnt not doing anyting its sad for Belize we have an incompetent government that only thinks of its pockets noting else”.
Real Analyzer…well said. Even Taiwan is a large benefactor to Belize, they have a agriculture mission in Belize, they give away scholarhips and they have donated millions to Belize.
Guess this wasn’t taken into account when the STUPID BOND was signed!!!
We have have the protection of Russia….Russia is not the same federation like in the Cold War era…they have abandoned the Marxist and Lennist ideologies.
I think Belize can invite them to have a Military Base here and at the same time offer protection to Belize. Russia is the best superpower that can help Belize. They have maintained the protection for Cuba from the U.S. invasions.
I take this opportunity to make Belizeans aware that the U.S. is a sword with double edge. Read this article about the Caribbean Narco-Triangle: The US-Cuba-Jamaica Connection [ http://www.normangirvan.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/caribbean-narco-triangle.pdf ]. The U.S. talks bad about Cuba when they have under-the-table negotiations with Cuba Ministry of Interior!
Without question, Belize is one of (maybe the most important) links to democracy in Central/South America. C’mon Belizians in the know, get your story known in the USA and other countries. Channel 5 you’re doing a great job, (however) reach out to your counterparts in the U.S.. DO NOT allows yourselves to be overlooked in world affairs. Belizian believers, follow the admonition “seek ye first the kingdom of God” Matt. 6:33.
Conspiracy Theory:
November 2009: Belize signs visa agreement with Israel. The pact allows both countries to visit without requiring documentation or approval from the respective embassies.
November 2010: Prime Minister’s son and musical ambassador relocates to Israel (how convenient that just the year before his dad signs a pact with Israel. No visa troubles for him!)
December 2010: British Government announcesto end jungle training in Belize. British troops pulling out
The Future: Israeli army coming to town to keep watch over the Central and South America and the Caribbean as Al-Qaeda continues to nurture ties with Venezuela and others close by. The U.S. Americans are helping to facilitate the process.
stupid people open your eyes thanks to the queen our money value ….other wise belize is nothing ….if is was not because of the queen pic in our dollar our money would be like Guatemal quetzal or nicaraguia ,.,,,think wise people
There is no damn way Guatemala will ever invade Belize. They might posture and so one but remember one thing. The days of proxies and satellite states are gone. The Cold War has been over for about 19 and half years and Guate would not dare attack in this era where East no longer blames West hour after hour and North blame South every 5 hour. There is no UN security council member which Guatemala can hide behind. Guate just wants us to believe that they can and will invade Belize when they feel it is necessary, but trust me it is just a bluff of regional power politics. We will never be invaded so long as we are not a rogue agent state or a proxy. Even being a proxy is virtually impossible in the current global climate. US will not say it publicly, but Guate will have to ask for US permission so that US turns a blind eye if they invaded, but such is almost impossible. It is two decades and a Cold War too late for US to do that. Belize is also not a a far right state in the US, EU or Commonwealth’s bad books so the possibility of a Guate invasion is something which Guate wants us to think is still possible. Guate itself knows that it is all hard talk and nothing more.
P.S. If I was a cabinet minister I would tell Mr Prime Minister not to go to The International Court of Justice to resolve our border dispute with Guate. The status quo works fine for Belize. We are recognized as a sovereign state so why should we still want to put our fate at the hands of some big wig jurists in The Hague, Netherlands? We have a seat at UN and that is conclusive enough. Belize is a sovereign state and Guate can wail and cry about it, but what matters to us is that Belize’s borders are internationally recognized.
UK also has no real global military appetite. Just look at how many troops they have in Afghanistan compared to US troops. UK only joins an international conflict or rushed to a global hotspot only if US will do the same. They feel indebted to US for World War 2 so they go along with US just to show some gratitude even though their hearts are not in it. If Guate did invade Belize, which I think will never happen, UK will wait for US position before coming to our aid so its not really a loss to Belize in that respect.
Real Analyzer, we have no reason to attack you, I actually agree with a lot of what you wrote. I will however disagree that other foreign media are unbiased. The news I see in other countries as I travel & that includes CNN does not look like what we see in Belize & America & just like western media, other countries often puts their spin on their news & in some places information is strictly controlled.
We may have to revisit Elrington’s statement about the artificial border between Belize & Guatemala & negotiate a peaceful co-existence, neither of us want or can afford a war. Maybe as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elrington was aware that this was coming & trying to prepare us for it. The British are going broke, they can no longer afford us. As much as we complain about what is going on with the Government & the violence in the streets, we have come a long way since receiving our Independence & there is no reason to believe that this may not be its own blessing in disguise.
I use to think that we should be afraid of Guatemala invading Belize, but I don’t have that fear anymore for several reasons, especially the good relationship we have with Mexico, even the other Central America countries. If only we realize how much respect these countries have for us we would see the need to really develop better relationship. We need to develop good diplomacy and friendliness especially in sports. but we need leadership with real vision and not the kind of egotistical attitude that we are known for.
Developed countries desire that underdeveloped countries to prosper. However during this world economic downturn all economies are suffering and are forced to reduce expenditures. This is especially so in England , Ireland, Spain and France. The economies of these countries consisted of expensive social programs which can no longer be afforded. The United States is being maintained by barrowing huge sums from China. Demonization of the United states and England for their financial austerity is therefore not warranted.
this gov cant even protect wa bag a weed ina wa room much less the country we have a minister of defence who doesnt even know who is landing at the main airport during the day he has no clue about nothing going on in the country how is this gov going to protect the country and people of belize when they are so corrupt they are the ones selling out passports to the world and the minister of defence doesnt know anything about it he claims they cant even protect 1inch of land on the belize guatemala border people we are indeed in serious trouble we can be taken over in a matter of hours because we have a gov that is only involved in treathning the media and is not capable of doing anything else right especially in the defence of our country. worse pm and gov in the history of belize.
ppl, I am so worried when i heard that government get money from some other countries.why?
1. First definetly we won’t to get benifit from the X amount of money any at all.
2.Second,who is going to pay back this X amount of money plus interest what they fill up their pocket .
Alla we ppl of Belize wake up ! None of the party or politician willing to help out the ppl of Belize other than just full up their pockets hall for then ra@# from Belize after all!