US military introduces New Horizons 2000
Over the next five months a total of four thousand Louisiana National Guard personnel and military reservists from fourteen states and Puerto Rico will be rotating in and out of Belize as part of the New Horizons 2000 mission. These “citizen soldiers,” college students or working professionals who devote themselves to the US military on a part time basis, will spend two weeks in the Stann Creek District helping to build seven new schools in rural communities, dig four water wells or provide medical screening and treatment to villagers. The exercise was launched this morning by the US Ambassador to Belize Carolyn Curiel who stressed that the humanitarian effort also taking place elsewhere in Central America and the Caribbean will not only result in new facilities but millions of dollars for the local economy. The overall cost of the exercise is estimated at sixteen million Belize dollars and at least four million will be spread over port and transportation services, and waste management. The soldiers are also expected to spend their own money during their days off exploring the cayes and caves in Stann Creek or buying souvenirs. The sites for the schools, wells and medical screening were selected based on a needs assessment provided by the Belize Government. Minister of Works Henry Canton, who is also the representative for Stann Creek West, says he is “elated” that the exercise will be based in Stann Creek and it complements recent efforts to improve education and health services. He also anticipates some economic benefits.
Henry Canton, Area Representative, Stann Creek West
“I feel that it is going to positively impact on money coming into the area. Stann Creek for quite some time has been depicted, because of the citrus industry and to some extent the banana industry, as being somewhat of a rich district. In fact it is not as rich as people think. There is a large disparity between those that have and those that don’t. With projects like this we bring a lot of social benefits for the poor people. The medical part of it where they are going to have clinics and stuff I’m sure is going to be a very big impact for poor people in the area.”
Major General Bennett Landreneau
“Many of the states that are involved have never participated in missions in Belize. Many of their soldiers, most of their soldiers have never been to Belize so this will be a real opportunity for all those personnel to come in and spend two weeks in Belize. An opportunity to train in their military skill whether it’s engineering or medical, working side by side with the Belize Defense Force personnel and government officials that will be working with them. But they will also have an opportunity to see the country, see the beauty of this country and I’m sure many will want to come back as tourists.”
New Horizons 2000 will be officially launched on February sixteenth, but key personnel will begin arriving next week and supplies come in later this month. Members of the Belize Defense Force will participate and personnel from the Ministry of Health will be present for all clinics. The last New Horizons Exercise in Belize was in 1997 when soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard did work on the Hattieville Burrell Boom Road.
