And while that rowdy cop is getting a reprimand, another member of Belize's armed forces has gone to rest.
He's 35 year old Raynard Valencia, a member of the Coastguard who yesterday passed away suddenly after he experienced breathing problems while on duty at the Coast Guard base.
This evening's Commandant Elton Bennet told us that while Raynard is the third seaman they'll lay to rest this year he's the first to have died on base.
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"It's a very unfortunate situation, he was here on base, on duty, working doing his Coast Guard work apparently he was feeling ill and he drew the attention of his supervisors who called the attention of the medic on duty who immediately attended to him and they found out that he felt weak and thereafter he had difficulties with breathing. We then told the Coast Guard ambulance and treated him as an emergency case and rushed him to KHMH however he was pronounced dead upon arrival."
Cherise Halsall:
"What was the seaman's age?"
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"He was 34 years old."
Cherisse Halsall:
"And as a seaman, he's particularly fit isn't he is physically fit, he's been in the coast guard for 8 years and he has done well, he has performed different duties in the coast guard. He is one of our more physically fit seaman so the circumstances of his death we don't know as yet we are awaiting the results of the postmortem."
Cherisse Halsall:
"I imagine this has to be very difficult for you and for the other seamen that reside on the base?"
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"Definitely it's a difficult time for us. It's the first time we have one of our sailors died on camp or on duty. It's something we are still struggling with."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir if I could just ask you what's the level of vaccination among the Coast Guard right now?"
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"Currently we are at 98% half vaccinated. We are up at 82% fully vaccinated and hopefully by the end of this month we should be up to at least 99% vaccinated. The requirement of all public officers including the Belize coast guard who are required to be vaccinated takes effect within next couple of weeks. The coast guard will follow suit. We are receiving good reception from our sailors that we are getting along with the program and that we are doing the vaccination."
Cherisse Halsall:
"By that logic seaman Valencio was vaccinated."
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"He was fully vaccinated."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir, have you been able to speak with Valencio's family?"
Elton Bennet, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"We have and we've started the funeral arrangements, they were here this morning and we are going through the administrative procedure from here up until the funeral. He will be buried with military honors and so we are working with those details along with the family."
A postmortem result for Raynard Valencio is expected to be released tomorrow.
