B.D.F. Keeping Eye on Illegal Activity in Sarstoon Area

David Jones

SATIIM co-manages the Sarstoon Temash National Park and according to them, they were intercepted by the GAF recently when they were on a patrol of the area. The N.G.O. says illegal activities have been ongoing inside the national park and along that area in the Sarstoon. These activities include illegal logging, hunting of endangered species and fishing with gill nets. Since the forward operating base was established, General Jones says activity, if any, is at a minimum and that the B.D.F. will intervene if necessary.

Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander, Belize Defense Force

“We have aerial patrols that are conducted in the area. If we suspect that there is anything happening illegal in that area, we send our defender aircraft to do a patrol. If anything is detected, we send our boats to go in and go on the ground and investigate that. That is being done even without the assistance or support to any N.G.O. which has been done in the past and will continue to be the situation where if there is any illegal activity that occurs along the Sarstoon, on Belizean land, our troops will move from the base, go in there and if there is need for more forces, we will deploy them. So we still maintain our patrols in the area and if there is anything illegal happening on the Belize side, we intercept it and we deal with it.”

Duane Moody

“There hasn’t been any reports?”

Brig. Gen. David Jones

“At the moment, no. We haven’t seen any illegal logging or cutting in the area. But whenever that information comes to light, we deal with it immediately.”