U.S. Govt. donates surplus supplies to B.D.F.
Officials of the Belize Defence Force and the U.S. Embassy met at Price Barracks in Ladyville this morning for brief handing over ceremonies of surplus supplies to our boys in green. News Five’s Jacqueline Woods explains.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Thanks to a close working relationship between the United States Government and the Government of Belize, today the Belize Defence Force received a variety of supplies worth over two hundred thousand dollars.
Gen. Lloyd Gillett, B.D.F. Commander
?Well I think, as I said, the United States and Belize have many of the same values: democracy, rule of law, freedom of the press. And I think our contribution to regional and hemispheric security is done through denying the use of our land to drug smugglers, human smugglers, people who might want to cause harm to our tourists. And that in turn supports us to help maintain the democracy, the rule of law that is necessary to ensure regional stability.?
Robert Deiter, U.S Ambassador to Belize
?The B.D.F. has been very supportive of supporting our training missions in Belize and supporting our humanitarian missions, such as the New Horizons missions where the doctors would come down and treat local people. And in return, the B.D.F I think has enjoyed the training opportunities in Louisiana with the Louisiana National Guard.?
The donation was made possible through the Excess Defence Articles Programme of the United States, a project where surplus equipment is made available to foreign armies.
Gen. Lloyd Gillett
?We have uniform, we have boots, we have some tents, we have some ponchos, weather proof gear; a lot of very good military, military equipment and uniform.?
Robert Deiter
?I think this donation of equipment is recognition by the United States Government of professionalism of the B.D.F. and the value that the B.D.F brings in service to the people of Belize.?
Jacqueline Woods reporting for News Five.
According to General Gillett, the U.S. assistance to the B.D.F. over the years have amounted to more than eight hundred thousand Belize dollars in military financing, education, and training.
