The Navy Seamen from the HMS Lancaster participated in the Independence Ceremony in Belmopan. Many were wondering if they came just for that event - but as Monica Bodden found out yesterday, their ship had been docked off the coast of Belize for some time. She went to find out why they are here in Belize.
Monica Bodden reporting
HMS Lancaster - a Royal Navy Warship has docked in Belize Waters - About 15 minutes away from Belize City, we were invited out to sea to check out the Duke class Type 23 frigate, known as the Queen's Frigate. The ship left the UK in May and will be in Belize Waters until the end of the Hurricane Season.
It is here for 3 primary purposes - defence of overseas territories, counter narcotics and Humanitarian Disaster Relief.
Lt. Cdr Adrian Gubby - Weapon Officer Engineer
"We left the UK in May and we will be out here for the end of November, the end of the hurricane season. We are here for 3 primary purposes: defence of overseas territories, counter narcotics and also humanitarian and disaster relief, in the unfortunate a hurricane come to the Caribbean and damages any of the islands out there."
Lieutenant Commander Gubby spoke about overseas territories being a part of the United Kingdom and the importance of conduct these operations in the Caribbean.
Lt. Cdr Adrian Gubby - Weapon Officer Engineer
"It is hugely important because overseas territories are still part of the United Kingdom and we want to reassure that we are here to help them but also why we are here in Belize is because it's a Commonwealth Nation and we are still greatly supportive of our Commonwealth friends out here and we just want to make sure that you guys are okay."
"We left in May and we arrive in early June and our first stop was in Bermuda and then we came into the Caribbean sea and we've been here ever since."
190 are onboard the ship - and today the media was taken on a tour on the 5 floor vessel.
Lt. Cdr Adrian Gubby - Weapon Officer Engineer
"It's a 190 of us are onboard; 180 UK ships company and 10 US Coast Guard persons are onboard and they are here to assist us with the counter narcotics."
Monica Bodden
"Speak to us about the ship itself"
Lt. Cdr Adrian Gubby - Weapon Officer Engineer
"We are a Frigate and our primary purpose is anti-submarine warfare. That's what we are built for but these we are more used as a general purpose Frigate, so this year we are coming out to the northern Caribbean. In 2 years' time the ship will come out and actually do the south Atlantic tasking as well."
"We have a lot of capabilities. As a warship we are built to do anything we possible can do around the world. Our primary purpose here is the 3 things I have mentioned earlier. The helicopter is very much used in counter narcotics. We can't go as fast as the drugs runners can, however with the helicopter, you can do 150 knots. It can go much quicker than they can."
The Ship heads back to the UK after the Hurricane season is over.
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