You may have heard reports of a winding down of the presence of British troops in Belize in light of the global recession and with Britain making cuts in its overseas deployment in countries such as Iraq. Well, there is reassurance tonight that the training support unit of the British Army, BATSUB, will not be […]
The Belize National Coast Guard is moving from its old location at the Williamson Complex to a new two-million U.S. dollar headquarters at mile four on the Western Highway. Ground was broken today for the multi-million dollar project, which is being funded by the U.S. government in cooperation with G.O.B. in the fight against trans-national […]
Today a group of fourteen law enforcement officers concluded a three-week training in prisoner handling at the B.D.F. headquarters. The course was intended to improve their skills when making arrests to observe the rights of inmates. Representatives from the B.D.F., the Customs and the Police Departments received certificates in Trainers’ Techniques and in the Prisoner […]
The Belize Defence Force received a handsome addition to its fleet of vehicles and supply of equipment. The donation from the United States government was today handed over at Price Barracks by the US Charge’ D’Affairs, A.J. Diffily and in attendance for the presentation, were the top ranks of the B.D.F., other soldiers and the […]
There are frequent allegations on cases of police brutality and to ensure appropriate behaviour by the security forces, the Ministry of National Security in collaboration with the British High Commission today began a three week training programme on Prisoner Handling. The course is being held at Price Barracks in Ladyville and participating are the various […]
Interesting to note is that another strange incident which might or might not be related to the whole incident also unfolded on the island on Friday night. Police came across a group of men in the same Boca del Rio area around eight on Friday night with a huge amount of US cash on them. […]
It was no regular day for the B.D.F., the men entrusted to protect our sovereignty celebrated the thirty-first birthday of the force at their headquarters in Ladyville. The force has grown to over a thousand men strong and over the years its role has evolved to meet other challenges. Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting […]
Harold Crooks, a former superintendent of the Jamaica Constabulary force and former advisor to Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security was in Belize from June to November of 2008 to assess and make recommendations to improve the police department. It has been known from last year that the contents of the report was damning to the […]
But what the top brass of the police did not want to disclose in detail is that Harold Crooks recognized that the National Crime Investigation Branch lacks the infrastructural capacity to investigate and interdict complex organized crime and dangerous criminals. The mechanisms and processes for intelligence- led policing are absent. Investigators use obsolete file preparation […]
It has been on the drawing board for over a year and today, the Belize National Coast Guard began a workshop on International Maritime Conventions and Codes. It is not a subject you hear of often, but the three day workshop will consist of a series of discussions on the different maritime conventions that Belize […]
They often go beyond the line of duty and are relied upon to defend our territory and keep our sovereignty intact and today the soldiers that make up the Belize Defense Force were given recognition at their annual Christmas party. Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, was on hand. Today’s even was complete with all the trimmings […]
The priority issue in the U.S. bilateral relations with Belize is in the war against drug trafficking. It is known that Belize is used as a transshipment point for illegal drugs making their way to the United States. Well today the United States Government stepped up the plate and provided the B.D.F. and the Coast […]
Belize’s Coastguard was established back in 2005 to protect the integrity of our waters. It has bases at Hunting Caye, San Pedro, and its current headquarters is at the Williamson Hangar at the airport. A new headquarter is currently under construction at Belizean Beach at mile five on the Western Highway. To bolster its relatively […]
And in news involving the security forces, this morning at Price Barracks, twenty-seven soldiers and police officers graduated from a Jungle Warfare Instructor Course. The six-week training is conducted annually by the Belize Defence Force and this year was held at the Douglas Da Silva Camp in the Mountain Pine Ridge. The aim of the […]
The duties of the Belize Defence Force Volunteer Battalion include supporting the regular force and aiding civil authorities when necessary, which means they have to be ready at all times. That is why since July sixth, the soldiers comprising the volunteer element have been sharpening their skills in the Mountain Pine Ridge. On Thursday, Kendra […]
Today was a big day for the nation’s military as a new Minister of National Security welcomed new recruits and their new boss. News Five’s Kendra Griffith reports from Price Barracks in Ladyville. Kendra Griffith, Reporting This morning the B.D.F. soldiers were at their sharpest as they assembled to commemorate the passing out of recruit […]
This morning the Belize Defence Force officially accepted five new Mitsubishi pickups, courtesy of the United States Government. As we found out at the handing-over ceremony this morning, the gifts are part of the U.S. Government’s Global Peace-keeping Initiative and will form a part of the B.D.F.’s Light Engineering Company. Leonard Hill, Deputy Chief of […]
Over the years, the Belize Defence Force has established a strong working relationship with the United States Military. Support for both the B.D.F. and the Coast Guard is coordinated through the U.S. Southern Command. Today the man in charge of that division was in Belize for a familiarization tour with local officials. Admiral James Stavridis, […]
During a brief handing over ceremony today, two of Belize’s security agencies received vehicles to help in their operations courtesy Uncle Sam. The gift of five heavy trucks from United States Government is valued at a half million Belize dollars and has been shared between the Belize Defence Force and the National Coast Guard Service. […]
The Belizean border has often been criticized as porous, making it highly vulnerable to illegal hunters and gatherers. It’s a situation that could easily overwhelm the limited resources of response agencies but as News Five’s Kendra Griffith reports, managers of the vast area that comprises the Chiquibul are not giving up on the site’s valuable […]
In December of last year, the Belize National Coast Guard broke ground for the construction of a forward operational base on Calabash Caye. According to Commandant of the Coast Guard, Cedric Borland the base should result in faster response to illegal activity in the area. Today, as part of his familiarization tour of the portfolio, […]
We’ve followed them through the jungle, over mountains, across rivers and even into a Guatemalan jail. Today, however, News Five’s Marion Ali watched the soldiers of the Belize Defence Force as they paraded in celebration of three decades of service. Governor General, Sir Colville Young “Thirty years ago Belize saw the need to begin the […]
It’s a military force with a large mission and less than large resources. But for the last thirty years the Belize Defence Force has, for the most part, risen to the occasion. This week the B.D.F. is celebrating the beginning of its fourth decade with a series of anniversary events. News Five’s Kendra Griffith has […]
The value of the assistance probably amounts to less than what the U.S. government spends in Iraq and Afghanistan in a few minutes … but fortunately, Belize is at peace and the latest aid from Uncle Sam is decidedly non-lethal. News Five’s Kendra Griffith has the story from Ladyville. Robert Dieter, U.S. Ambassador to Belize […]
The Government’s announcement that it would attempt to hold a referendum on an elected Senate caught many observers off guard. Today Prime Minister Said Musa defended his party’s decision. Prime Minister Said Musa “Well first of all, that matter is still under consideration as to the timing of the referendum, but I certainly feel that […]
