About three weeks ago, the Belize Territorial Volunteers ventured to the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base with the intentions to occupy it since they felt it had been abandoned by the BDF. They met soldiers there on the Saturday, but on the Sunday, they said it was empty, so they hung their banner and took up a brief residence - at least until the soldiers came back.
Since then, the leader of the BTV, Wil Maheia, said that they will keep returning to ensure the southern waters are kept safe.
Well, the BDF insists that they have been doing their daily patrols and maintaining their presence, even though they aren't staying at the FOB permanently due to its deteriorated state.
And today, the Brigadier General explained that while he understands the BTV's position, they should leave the job up to the soldiers who are being paid to do it.
Brigadier Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"I wouldn't even call it a dispute, it's just they have an, the people down in the south have an agenda, activism and whatnot. But they're friends, they're Belizean people and we have to look after them as well. They're agitating for certain things to happen, we understand but then they have to abide by the law and that's what we're asking politely to them to abide by the law, we all should be law abiding citizens, there are some things they may dislike but we could work out our differences and yes we're in the process of, I think Friday we will have two companies that will submit their cost estimates so that we could renovate the building that's there and have something more permanent."
"When they went on the Sunday, our soldiers were there because they're patrolling the areas but on the Friday, they got information about some plane landing, or doing some illegal activities in the area, in Guatemala/Honduras area and we got information of some boats coming from Honduras into the Temash and that's where they were responding to and they kind of left the area just for a while to respond to that activity but then when they went back between the, they were there in the morning from like 6 to 10, they departed to do that reconnaissance task to find out where the boats were and to find out if there were illicit activities occurring in the area. When they were back at around 2:30 or 3, we heard what we heard in the media, and it's only propaganda because I don't think that they have the capacity to fulfil a mission like that, it's very costly and that's a mandate that the government of Belize has given to us."
And the Minister of National Defense wasn't too keen about the BTV's attempt to take over the FOB either. He said that despite their efforts, he refuses to jeopardize the soldiers' safety, and won't let them move back in permanently until the base is completely renovated.
Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Defense
"I believe we were quite clear what occurred with the FOB, we informed the country what occurred, we cannot have our soldiers living there, it is unsafe, so I think something like our FOB which is critical to our national security should not be taken in jest to what I saw there. I didn't see anything that was constructive in that but as well, the soldiers that are there are also responsible for patrols up into the river so perhaps they may have gotten there at a time when they were doing patrols up the river. However, when we do get the FOB up and running, then we'll be able to maintain a full presence. But one thing I will not do, I will not put our soldiers in harm's way just to please any private group."
"Right now, we have the engineers there and we won't move until he engineers give us what we need to do, they're the professionals, they're the ones who can tell us how to fix this base so that it is safe for our soldiers and coast guard to operate and until I get it from them, then we're going to move, but I'm not just gonna hurry the process and put the soldiers' lives in danger."
Courtney Menzies:
"But for the time being, you do believe that that area, it's being well patrolled and it's safe?"
Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Defense
"I do believe it's well patrolled and it's safe, like I said, soldiers, particularly those that are posted there during the day also have the responsibility to do patrols up the river so we are pleased with how it is working, but yes, I would like to see that FOB up and running as soon as possible."
