BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 29, 2021 — On Sunday, November 28, 2021, the Belize Coast Guard celebrated its 16th year of providing maritime law enforcement for the country of Belize. The ceremony for the event was hosted on Monday at the Belize Coast Guard’s Belize City headquarters — with one hundred and five Coast Guard officers being promoted in honor of the celebration.
Among those promoted was Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, who earned this title after successfully completing his studies in the United Kingdom in August. At the event, Rear Admiral Bennett commented on the momentous occasion. He stated, “For the past 16 years the Belize Coast Guard has delivered on its mandate of providing maritime safety to those at sea, and to protect the nation from threats that seek to exploit our sea spaces; likewise, the protection of our marine resources has been one of our most important mission, perhaps because of its direct link to economic prosperity.”
Bennett pointed out that the new Blue Bond financing arrangement that Belize has entered will significantly increase the amount of sea spaces that will be under some form of protection, and the Belize Coast Guard will play a key role in ensuring these areas are protected on a day-to-day basis. Over the years, the Coast Guard has assisted both the government and non-governmental organizations to manage the marine protected areas of Belize.
The Attorney General of Belize, Hon. Magali Marin-Young, who was the guest speaker at the event, spoke on the tremendous growth that has taken place in the 16-year-old government agency. She said, “The Belize Coast Guard has grown from concept into a formidable military force, a creditable and competent organization, that has proven itself as an essential component to our security and stability.” Marin-Young said that the stability and security provided by the Coast Guard has impacted Belize in many ways. Marin-Young believes that the security they have ensured in Belize’s maritime territory has encouraged investors to invest in Belize’s Blue Economy, and fostered confidence in both the people and government of Belize in their capacity to protect Belizean sea spaces from foreign and domestic threats.
The Belize Coast Guard was established in 2005 by the former Prime Minister of Belize, Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price. At its inception, it had only 50 officers. Today, it has grown to a national security force with 500 officers.