In December of 2007, ground was broken on Calabash Caye for a Foward
Operating Base for the Belize National Coast Guard. Today- more than 3 years
later – the ribbon was cut to the $3 million facility. It was a grand
opening with the presence of two Ministers, 3 Ambassadors, and the Commanders
of all three security agencies. Our seven news team went on the 90 minute boat
ride to Calabash and Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This is Calabash Caye – located 28 miles southeast of Belize City and
30 miles northeast of Dangriga – it is an island getaway that’s
in the middle of a drug transhipment route.
Capt. Johnny Borland, Commander - Coast Guard
“This is located almost smack in the middle of the transit route for
drug shipment. So counter-narcotics is definitely the main effort here.”
That effort will be done from the tower in this new state of the art forward
operating base on Calabash Caye. Coast Guard Commander Johnny Borland says the
location is strategic.
Capt. Johnny Borland,
“We had to launch operations from as I said before coastal locations
i.e. Belize City. The response time from Belize City to this position is excess
of an hour, sometimes an hour and a half. It is located almost thirty miles
within our area of operations. What it means is that we are pre-positioned,
almost to the extent of our internal waters, we are just adjacent to the territorial
seas and that gives us a better platform from which to launch, to intercept,
to sustain, to conduct surveillance. It is well within the operational theatre.”
The base will be manned by 9 coast guard officers in addition to BDF and police
officers. It has 3 regular bedrooms, a master bedroom, and a guest room as well
as a kitchen area and laundry room. This is the command center of the forward
operating base here on Calabash Caye which will be the heart of the Coast Guard’s
operation here on Calabash Caye. The first officer in command of the base is
Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis.
Lt. Gregory Soberanis, BNCG
“Myself and 13 people I will have under my command and we will be
manning this forward operating base on a two week rotation basis. It is 24 hours,
that is the military standard. From here we will be able to look beyond our
territorial seas. As you know from here we will be able to effectively and efficiently
man the three atolls which is the Turneffe Atoll, the Halfmoon Atoll, and the
Glover’s Reef Atoll.
It will definitely enhance our ability to search and rescue cases, two
for law enforcement operations, because this is a huge atoll, the Turneffe Atoll,
and lots times of you have various infractions that occur in this area. So it
will enhance our response time to all the infractions that occur in this area.”
$3 million was spent on the base and it was paid for by the U.S. Government.
Minister of National Security Carlos Perdomo and US Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally cut the ribbon this morning to the new base. According to Perdomo, the base
is part of a larger plan for the Coast Guard and national security.
Hon. Carlos Perdomo, Minister of National Security
“This forward operating base is one of the premier tools we now have
our disposal to ensure that we have a better operational strategy, better plans,
and platforms from which we will address threats as they inevitably come about.”
Vinai Thummalapally,, US Ambasssador
“Looking at what we have here is almost a monument. This did not just
come up. This took years of planning and coordination and execution on the part
of Belizeans and United States folks.”
Hon. Carlos Perdomo,
“We look forward to continuing strengthening the commitment to each
other in an effort to ensure that our seas and our waters remain free of maritime
crime and violence.”
Reporting from Calabash Caye, Keith Swift.
Work is currently underway on the Coast Guard’s main base at
Belizean Beach. That should be completed shortly.
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