An Update on the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base

The forward operating base at Sarstoon was compromised earlier this year by erosion and so patrols along the southernmost part of the country are being deployed from a temporary outpost set up in Barranco Village. Now the F.O.B. was set up back in 2015 to deter illegal activities in the area. So today, we asked the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard about the success of operations in the area since the F.O.B. on Sarstoon Island was decommissioned. 

Elton Bennett

Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“We are still looking at designing that facility; it’s really a ministry of national defence project to ensure that we have the right design and we have the right construction and the right location as well considering the environment. The base at Sarstoon suffered serious beach erosion and we had to extract from that location, but we are currently located at Barranco so there is a joint facility with the Belize Defence Force, the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Police Department all at one facility. From there we can overlook the general area of operation and we can launch operations whether that’s for fisheries enforcement, that’s military operations or counter drug operation that’s done from Barranco. So we are still able to reach that location and perform our national security duties.”

Duane Moody

“Have there been any incidents there, even as it relates to illegal fishing practices?”

Elton Bennett

“It’s really an area for operations to achieve deterrence and so we patrol very aggressively and once those foreign nationals would see Belize Coast Guard patrolling in the area they will stay away from there. And that has been effective.”

Duane Moody

“So we haven’t seen them?”

Elton Bennett

“We have not seen an increase in Guatemalan illegal activities in our southern waters at the Sarstoon area.”