Captain Elton Bennett Returns to the Coast Guard

Elton Bennett

Captain Elton Bennett re-takes the helm at the Coast Guard this week after a one-year study leave. Bennett attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, which is a strategic-level course for leadership of military service on matters of international security.  Bennett told us that while he is in a better position now to lead the Belize Coast Guard into the future, there will be challenges in the coming months.

Captain Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“Of course I’m better positioned now to provide better leadership to the organization because of the knowledge that I’ve gained – I also picked up a Master’s in International Security and Strategy whilst attending the course – so I’ve been exposed to more than just the domestic security challenges that we face here in Belize. So I do believe I’m better prepared, I’m better exposed to lead the organization into the next ten years.  Some of the challenges that we’ve been facing already, obviously the economic situation here in Belize impacting not only the Belize Coast Guard but the entire nation, particularly the services of Belize, so making adjustments as it relates to budget to ensure that we prioritize, and we make assessment of where we can shift resources or reassign assets that we need to assign to ensure that we achieve the same output with minimum or less resources – those are some of the challenges that I’m already foreseeing. Me coming back – there’s not much adjustment that needs to take place for the Coast Guard. The adjustment is me. I’m the one who needs to fit in to the new administration. Understand that before I left it was a different Government. I’m now back and it’s my responsibility now to understand and appreciate the new policies, the new directions and to ensure that the Coast Guard development and strategy is in line with the new policies.”

Bennett said that while he has completed the course and is now promotable to the rank of Rear Admiral, the discussion to officially do so has not yet happened.