Yearwood declined to provide information on the persons in custody, but Police sources tell us one of the detained men is related to a Police Officer, which could explain the uniforms. If and when those men are positively identified, charged and arraigned, the Police Department will call off the alert. But if the men in […]
A search and rescue operation, led by personnel from the Belize National Coast Guard on Sunday afternoon, ended with the successful return of a Belize City family of ten persons, including four adults and six children. The party set out to sea earlier in the day and began experiencing mechanical difficulties. The captain of the […]
Another notorious figure is recovering from injuries he received during a fight Saturday night in Mahogany Heights. Jerson Grinage was cut to the back of his head, to his forehead and to the right side of his face after he tangled with Ervin Fitzgibbon at a local Chinese store. Police have been having a tough […]
Two weeks ago there was a sensational incident in which two Canadian tourists were robbed at gunpoint just after they checked into the Tropical Education Centre on the George Price Highway. Shortly after, those robbers shot a Good Samaritan, Jorge Lopez, who saw them fleeing the scene but thought they needed help. Adolphus Palacio, the […]
The much anticipated four day La Ruta Maya canoe race, from the Hawkesworth Bridge to Belize City, kicks off in just a little over two weeks. It’s a race which rivals the Cross Country in participation and in support. With so many persons in one place, and in a festive sort of mood, there are […]
In March 2014, as Belizeans celebrated the Ruta Maya River Challenge, three persons lost their lives in a terrible road traffic accident in Burrell Boom. One of them was a three-year-old child. Those are memories which die hard, and the Police will also be increasing vigilance on canoe race enthusiasts and party-goers who may end […]
In the past year there has been a perceived escalation in hostilities between Belize and Guatemala. That perception gained wings when thirty-seven Belizeans were basically kidnapped by Guatemalan military in Belizean waters and taken to Livingston. It flew higher still when Guatemalan military attempted to turn back Belizean vessels intent on circling Sarstoon Island. So […]
This morning, Minister of National Security John Saldivar, with an entourage including Minister of State Frank Mena and representatives from the Ministry, Police and Belize Defence Force, visited the site of the Forward Operating Base at the mouth of the Sarstoon. The media was not invited on the trip which we are told was planned […]
The various arms that provide national security to the country keep growing in numbers and in strength. This afternoon, eighty new soldiers joined the ranks of the Belize Defense Force after months of arduous training. A ceremony to induct them into the military took place at Price Barracks in Ladyville where some of the soldiers […]
Since breaking ground for a new forward operating base near the mouth of the Sarstoon River in December 2015, the much talked about military installation has seemingly taken a backseat to other national issues. That’s not to say that the project has stalled. In fact, Minister of National Security John Saldivar says that work has […]
The Belize National Coast Guard, along with growing its strength in numbers, is also looking to expand its fleet of naval vessels. On Wednesday, it was announced that the maritime law enforcement agency will procure a pair of patrol boats through a loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. The CABEI loan, as […]
After an announcement made in August 2014, a pair of UH1H Huey helicopters, to complement the B.D.F.’s existing fleet of aircrafts, has arrived in Belize. The generous donation is from the Republic of China (Taiwan). Since the withdrawal of British troops several years ago, the Belize Defense Force has been without air support. But in […]
Ten years after its establishment, the Belize Coast Guard has grown considerably in numbers as well as in the scope of duties. Today, it presented a report card of accomplishments even as it projects further growth in its long-term strategy. One issue on the horizon is to be held in partnership with the Belize Defense […]
A historic groundbreaking ceremony was held on the bank of the Sarstoon River on December ninth to mark the beginning of construction of a forward operating base near Belize‘s southern border with Guatemala. Well, it has been a little over a month since that formality and work is yet to get underway at the location. […]
With the interruption of work on the building of a new forward operating base on Hunting Caye, coast guard personnel have had to endure the discomfort of utilizing the existing facility on the island. As you would recall, work was discontinued at the location by the United States Army Corp of Engineers when a stink […]
As part of the B.D.F.’s 2016 schedule, plans are underway to establish air support for ongoing patrols near the Belize/Guatemala border. On Monday, two UH-1H helicopters, commonly known as Hueys, are expected to arrive in the country. The pair of military aircrafts will form a fleet of three, including another helicopter that has been obtained […]
As much as seventy-six million dollars worth of marijuana went up in smoke last year as a result of anti-drug operations conducted by the Belize Defense Force working along with the U.S. Army. At a review of its scope of duties undertaken in 2015, the B.D.F. also acknowledged success in other areas as it pushed […]
With the return of the British Army Training Support Unit in Belize, BATSUB, having been announced in October of last year, it is expected that the annual influx of British soldiers will bring much needed revenue to the country. Similarly, the expansion of the Jungle Warfare Instructor Course to include military personnel from other countries […]
The formulation of a well-crafted plan of action to guide the Belize Defense Force into the near future has been a work in progress for Commander David Jones. Since taking up the baton three years ago, a Strategic Defense Review has been among the top priorities for the army general. That proposal will look at […]
A team of uniformed police officers, led by Senior Superintendent Chester Williams descended, on Mahogany Street in Belize City this afternoon where the men and women of law enforcement met with residents and business owners in the Lake Independence area. The continuing meet and greet effort, a measure of community policing in which members of […]
The Rural Eastern Division of the Belize Police Department today received a very generous and much needed donation from a corporate entity within their jurisdiction, National Aggregates Limited. Like with all divisions, that one is seriously strapped for vehicular resources, and that’s a real problem when there are many miles to cover. So the brand […]
The Rural Eastern Division covers about twenty-two thousand square miles and thirty-two communities. So it’s a given this truck is going to be a workhorse for the department which has always been strapped for resources. It’s an attractive vehicle with all the gadgets, but will it be able to stand the test of time and […]
The courtroom of Justice Courtenay Abel was overflowing this morning for a special ceremony. The occasion marked the admission to the bar of the first B.D.F. soldier. The proud moment was shared by family, friends and colleagues. Having completed his legal training in the Caribbean, Lieutenant Lionel Olivera, will head a new legal department within […]
Is there a growing disparity in the recent number of police and B.D.F. intakes? It would seem as though there are presently more recruits enlisting in the police department than there are in the Belize Defense Force. Since assuming leadership in February 2013, Brigadier General David Jones has been exploring means of expanding the rank […]
Fourteen months ago construction of a Coast Guard Forward Operating Base was abruptly halted after public outcry. The base, funded by the US, was contracted out to a Guatemalan firm which Guatemalan workers. Belizeans claimed that fact compromised the security of the military base. Since October 2014, the almost completed base has been neglected, and […]
