And while the BDF works to lock down state lands, what about the private property owners in the area?
For those whose ownership is undisputed, the Force says that landowners are always notified well in advance before technicians detonate any of these highly dangerous, unexploded devices.
Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez, Commander, BDF
"Friday I was there at Baldy Beacon and I met with representative of the landowners in the area and we had a very very good discussion about moving forward and explaining our position to them and their position to us. And the feedback that I got was that everyone, the landowners were grateful that we were there destroying the the unexploded devices that were found that were a danger to their children and to their family and to themselves. So BDF found many of these items on, some of these people reported it and we removed it from the area and then we were destroying it. So we were doing all of this destruction for the greater good of the general public. We have developed some methods of communicating better with the landowners. Since Friday, we have also been communicating but we have established a greater and easier method of communication. And we ask them to anytime they find any unexploded device, please inform us and we will give them our contacts and we will make some fliers and give it out to them so that the communication is there are 100% and steady. So we take it very seriously that any unexploded devices that are found that they should report it to Belize Defence Force, and we will send our team out to either destroyed in place or remove it and destroy it at a later date."
