7 News Belize

Valentin Conservation Outpost Completed
posted (October 14, 2014)
And speaking about the Valentin Conservation Post, it is now completed. Today, the Executive Director of Friends for Conservation and Development was in Belize City making the media rounds.

He spoke with us saying that, given that Guatemalans have already threatened to burn it down, the Law enforcement agencies which will be posted there, must remain on high alert at all times to protect it:

Rafael Manzanero - Executive Director, FCD
"The Valentin Conservation Post, it actually was finish just less than 48 hours ago. The soldiers had already been there on location as a result of the last incident, so as far as I know there were about 20 soldiers that had been there for quite some days now and so we can estimate that some 8 of them will be able to comprise the patrol unit or the unit that would be left in Valentin. We are still in discussion with NICH because technically Valentin is inside the Caracol Archaeological Reserve and our impression is that they also should be able to put in one or two park wardens from NICH. The CP as how it stands, it is pretty much just basic, it's nothing really to be accommodating people because that is not the idea of a CP. The idea is really to be a sort of a hub where we can launch operations like for patrols or for enforcement and monitoring."

Daniel Ortiz
"While you said it not supposed to accommodating or comfortable or high tech, it must be sturdy and we've already had encounters where Guatemalan civilians are saying that they will burn that down because they don't want it there. How do we know that it will be secured and how do we protect the persons who are there from that sort of aggression?"

Rafael Manzanero - Executive Director, FCD
"I think one of the best ways in how to protect those is really to have highly discipline and organize people who stay in those CPs. In other words you can't go and just live abandoned in area and the BDF are always there even if it's just two men or so, but what it really means is really to be alert always. That is part of it and a good communication system, in the event that something erupts you can be able to mobilize forces as quick as possible. I feel from all my gatherings, i consider that those CPs will be respected eventually by the Guatemalans. I feel that based upon what we have seen at Monte de los Olivos, which is the other CP of the Rio Blanco, what it demonstrates that once we stand our ground, once we demonstrate that we will have the boldness and the determination to protect and to have a human presence then Guatemalans then certainly then are move back. So I think the very first day it is going to be very critical to demonstrate the strength that we have in terms of manning those areas."

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize