Back in mid January, we showed you the first group of 29 BDF soldiers
trained in Taekwondo. We showed you their martial arts mastery as they displayed
a range of skills demonstrating precision, uncommon strength and unmatched physical
toughness. Today the second group graduated and it gave us a chance to see if
group number two is as competent and entertaining as group one.
Jim McFadzean Reporting,
It was an impressive display of how the human mind and body, nurtured with good
discipline, commitment and rigid training, when put to the test, can become
one of the most lethal weapons of war to reckon with.
Today’s demonstration of such artful and skilful techniques used in the
exercise of self defense, is the second of many Taekwondo courses being offered
to the BDF by the Taiwanese military, just one of the many fruits derived from
a very cozy and cordial relationship, enjoyed between the nations of Belize
and the Republic of Taiwan. And as the two celebrate an important milestone
of 20 years of cooperation, especially in both military and economic areas Taiwanese
Ambassador, Joseph Shih, who attended today’s award ceremony was unequivocal
that such assistance by his government will continue.
Joseph Shih, Taiwanese Ambassador
“My government will continue to work with Belize government in sending 
our instructors and of course that includes the wide spectre of society needs,
we have not only received requests from the police forces but also members of
special units and even some remote areas, the women’s group saying they
need training in self-defense.”
Shih says as his island nation celebrates its centennial in the year 2011,
and Belize celebrates its 30 years of independence, it is his hope that the
two will continue to partner jointly in meeting the challenges of an ever changing
world.
Joseph Shih,
“Just recently we donated ten motorcycles so they are patrolling the
highways at the moment and also we are going to develop further in human resources
development training. That means we not only train some medical personnel but
we will also receive students from military forces to study in our warfare college.”
The non-combat training has received raved reviews from both the public and
other law enforcement agencies. It might be why the Commandant of the Belize
Defense Force, Brigadier General Dario Tapia has embarked on an ambitious goal,
that of extending the unarmed non-combat training to at least 75% of his forces.
Brig. Gen. Dario Tapia, BDF Commander
“We want to incorporate it as part of the syllabus for recruit training
because we do have unarmed combat training in the syllabus and so this will 
certainly complement that training and I think once we do that then we will
able to capture a wider group of soldiers.”
While there has been a steady but reluctant shift in recent years to arm most
of Belize’s Law Enforcement Agencies, Tapia still sees unarmed non-combat
training as a huge benefit to most agencies, especially, the Belize Police Department
Brig. Gen. Dario Tapia,
“As you and I know that we always say that our police officers are
supposed to be unarmed, they are supposed to be patrolling with their batons.
We grant to you that there are situations that warrant them to be armed. If
they have this type of training they will be much more courageous in executing
their duties without a weapon and so I think the police will benefit greatly
from this. We the BDF also would find ourselves in situations when in combat
we would have to do unarmed combat. Instances have happened and experiences
in the past with other military in combat that at some point they will run out
of ammunition and so it all boils down to hand to hand combat.”
As demonstrated here today, an awake, disciplined, and highly trained BDF soldier
in the art of Martial Arts will be no one to mess with, whether on the mean
streets of Belize City or on patrol at the fragile border we share with Guatemala.
Reporting for 7 News, I’m Jim McFadzean.
Three police officers graduated with this second group.
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