U.S. donates more equipment to Coast Guard

It remains a work in progress but Belize’s fledging Coast Guard is slowly but surely gaining strength. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports on the latest addition to its capabilities.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, the Belize National Coastguard officially took possession of tactical and maintenance equipment valued at seventy five thousand US dollars, courtesy of the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Robert Dieter, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
?The people of the United States stand as willing partners with the people of Belize in pursuit of this common goal. Together we can prevent the undermining of civil society and the human devastation that inevitably follows the proliferation of the narcotics trade. The donation of this equipment is a further demonstration of our joint commitment to stop this evil scourge wherever it is encountered.?

Commandant Cedric Borland, Belize National Coast Guard
?The coastguard operates twenty-four/seven and there are times we have to operate at night and the night vision device that we have received will give a marked advantage. It will basically light up the night for us.?

In addition to night vision goggles, the donation includes binoculars, bullet proof jackets, navigation and basic boating equipment. According to Coast Guard Commandant, Cedric Borland, the gear will greatly enhance law enforcement efforts at sea.

Commandant Cedric Borland
?We have been doing a lot of patrols for illegal fishing. In fact, recently we were out in Halfmoon Caye with the Fisheries Department and the Belize Audubon Society and we?ve done quite a number of anti-drug trafficking patrols with the police up in the north. So we?ve been pretty active.?

Since its establishment in November 2005, the United States has been the financial angel of Belize?s Coast Guard … a trend that will apparently continue well into 2007.

Commandant Cedric Borland
?We expect very shortly, perhaps early next year to start a forward operating base out at Calabash Caye and we?ve received assurance from the U.S. government that they are going to construct that facility for us. Also we are improving on the Hunting Caye facility down south. We?ve been experiencing some erosion and again they have assigned–I think it?s about sixty thousand U.S. dollars to put in a sea wall there for us.

Ralph Fonseca, Minister of Home Affairs
?They have certainly been leading the way as it relates to the transfer of technology. That is we are using their technology as it they have developed it over the decades in the U.S. As it relates to resources, they have certainly have been leading the way with training in that we have quite a few training programmes, we have quite a few of our guys up there. Some are actually living over there, working on their boats. And as for equipment, because we are up there and we see what?s available, our guys take advantage of it as best as possible.?

Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

There are presently four members of the Belize National Coast Guard studying at U.S. academies in the areas of search and rescue, maritime counter drug operations, boat handling techniques and engineering skills. That training comes courtesy of the U.S. Government.