Central American military chiefs meet in Belize

There was a time in Belize’s history when the idea of a Belize Defence Force Commander sitting down at the same table with his Central American counterparts was well outside the realm of reality. But the world changes and–for better or for worse–Belize changes with it. Today not only did the B.D.F. sit down with the armies to our south … we actually hosted the affair. Kendra Griffith reports.

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
They may have been all smiles during the photo op this morning, but the issues being discussed at the seventh annual Central American Security Conference are no laughing matter.

Gen. John Craddock, Commander, U.S. Southern Command
?The dialogue that we will entertain here in this exchange of ideas will allow us to explore regional solutions to regional problems that include crime, illicit trafficking, illegal migrants, and often times natural disasters.?

The defence chiefs from Central America, Colombia and the Dominican Republic are this week being hosted by the Belize Defence Force and the U.S. Southern Command. According to Minister of Defence Cordel Hyde the multilateral approach to issues affecting the region makes sense.

Cordel Hyde, Minister of Defence
?The security challenges we face as nations in Central America are trans-national in nature, whether it be drug trafficking or human smuggling, or the proliferation of guns. And so it follows that our responses have to be trans-national.?
?It serves as a forum to synergise the necessary level of strategic thinking and decision making, to identify and agree on the best practices and approaches, whether respect of sovereignty or states and human rights and the preservation of democracy are concerned.?

For the Commander of the Belize Defence Force, Brigadier General Lloyd Gillett, one major factor threatening Belize?s sovereignty and democracy is the prevalence of large scale drug trafficking.

Brigadier General Lloyd Gillett
?In terms of public security, drug smuggling has been the thing that has fed the other areas of crime. Arms trafficking, violent crime has increased significantly. The amount of money passing through also creates corruption, which is very bad for the justice system, for the political system, and so I think they are all feeding each other. But the source of it is probably the money coming from drug trafficking.?

And while drugs are a major problem, you can?t mention Belize?s security without referring to Guatemala. But according to General Gillett, continuing talks with that country are producing practical results.

Brigadier General Lloyd Gillett
?Although we continue to have the traditional threat, that of Guatemala claiming Belize, but because of the confidence building measures and the framework agreement for a transition process of negotiation, I think that bi-lateral relationship is working well and I think it?s a model for other countries with disputes.?

The military chiefs will also use the meeting as an opportunity to measure the success of past and ongoing regional initiatives. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

The conference is being held under the theme “Security in Central America B Defining the Metrics.”