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Only five years after it was established, the Belize National Coast Guard was boasting at official opening ceremonies this morning its spanking new headquarters located at Mile 4 on the Western Highway. The multi-purpose building was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lt. Commander Bennett of the Belize Coast Guard says the new location of the headquarters is significant and appropriate.

Lt. Commander Bennett, Belize Coast Guard
"We've relocated from Williamson complex in Ladyville, currently now at Mile 4 and a half on the Western Highway on the seashore where we belong as a Coast Guard. We are currently working on our jetty for us to accommodate patrol boats at our compound. It's a real important date for us in relocating the coast guard to the seashore where it belongs."

"When is the jetty expected to be completed? The jetty is expected to be completed next year April and should be able to house two 85 feet patrol boats."

"The building itself is multi-purpose. It has the Coast Guard headquarters proper. It also includes accommodations, equipment stores, and kitchen and galley facilities along with other logistics requirement for the Coast Guard headquarters".

Special guest speaker at this morning's opening ceremonies was Rear Admiral Steven Ratti of the United States Southern Command.

Channel 7


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Belize Coastguard gets a place to call headquarters

The Belize National Coast Guard moved into its new home today. Its address is Mile four on the Western Highway, where the new headquarters sits ideally to keep watch on the territorial waters and the ever present threat of transnational narco-trafficking and other crimes. The new headquarters was built with the assistance from the US southern command and today the inauguration attracted from ministers to diplomats to officers of the Coast Guard. News Five's Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Five years ago a few brave men enlisted to become members of an elite team of mariners that would form Belize's third officially recognized law enforcement agency. While their work is not as explicit as that of the police department they are nonetheless equally tasked with safeguarding the Jewel's territorial sovereignty. Despite being the new kids on the block the Belize National Coast Guard has been receiving tremendous assistance in its effort to combat transnational crimes, more specifically the flow of drugs through the waters of our country. Today that outfit inaugurated its newly built headquarters near mile four and a half on the Western Highway.

John Borland

John Borland, Captain, Belize Nat'l Coast Guard

"This state of the art facility will do wonders to approve our administration and operations. It is the pride of the coastguard and perhaps the most significant achievement to date while there have been so many other significant events in our development. In five years we have made some significant strides in growing our force in size, capacity, capability, competency and credibility. We've even discarded of our army standard of drill and adopted the coastguard standards as you've witnessed here today."

Along with taking on new ideals was the building of this multimillion dollar structure designed and engineered by members of the United States Southern Command which will serve as the head office for the BNCG's operations countrywide.

Rear Admiral Steven Ratti, United States Southern Command J3

Steven Ratti

"It was, as Captain Borland mentioned, was funded through the Department of Defense's counter drug program at a cost of about four million dollars Belize in addition to future jetty and pier project being constructed through the Brazil Coast Guard and I have it on good; or the Belize Coast Guard and I have it on good authority that it should be completed by the end of June."

The project which is being undertaken in two phases will also see the construction of a berth to be used for the launching and maintenance of coastguard vessels during maritime operations.

John Borland

"This certainly is the beginning of our deepwater project. The jetty will be constructed with enough room to maneuver a truck and trailer at the end with a ramp to launch and recover vessels. It will accommodate four boats in the water and will be equipped with a jet dock to recover, service and repair vessels without bringing them on land. It will also have sufficient space to berth an eighty-seven foot boat safely."

With all the talks of modernizing its operations the Belize National Coast Guard is still but a fledgling agency with a recruitment of one hundred and twenty-one men and women. Since its establishment in November 2005 it has been working diligently to set up outposts across the country, the first built on Calabash Caye in March of this year.

Carlos Perdomo, Minister of Nat'l Security

Carlos Perdomo

"When we have illegal fishing we work along with other maritime agencies like the Fisheries Department and the police to be out there so we are economic protectors of our resources. Again sometimes we think that the coastguard is purely military. It is not it is very civil and it is involved in the everyday life of the Belizean people and for that I would like to give them applause."

The Belize National Coast Guard was stationed in Ladyville near the Philip Goldson International Airport where the change of command was handed over to Captain John Borland in 2009 before the organization found its permanent home near Belizean Beach. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.


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New HQ for Belize Coast Guard

The Belize National Coast Guard, first headquartered in Ladyville when it was formed 2005, has now moved into its new $4 million headquarters at Mile 4 Belizean Beach. The move was completed last Friday, December 3, 2010.

The new head-quarters is right on the coast, using a special channel which has been dug for its fleet of patrol boats.

Built with funding from the United States Southern Command, the new headquarters is greatly admired for its functional and aesthetic architecture.

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Operations Officer for the Belize National Coast Guard, was full of praise.

This new facility, he said, will greatly improve the response time of the Coast Guard, as it relates to search-and-rescue efforts as well as other maritime patrol and interdiction duties.

With its headquarters now complete, the Coast Guard now looks forward to the completion of its new jetty, currently under construction, by June next year.

The jetty will accommodate two 85-foot patrol boats, and will have enough room for a trailer and truck at the end of the ramp for the launching and recovery of its patrol vessels.

The jetty will also accommodate four other boats and will be equipped to service and repair the vessels.

The Reporter


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