7 News Belize

Hunting Caye Base “Come-Down” Complicated
posted (November 20, 2014)
The last time we reported on the Hunting Caye Forward Operating Base, it was with the news that the US Embassy had told the Government of Belize that if it doesn't allow the Guatemalan company, BINARQ to build the facility, then Government must do so itself.

That left only one choice - because with the public uproar over a Guatemalan company building a security facility for Belize - there's no way government would go there. '

So, the Government of Belize will take on the project and finish the Hunting Caye base. It will cost the public purse about 1.6 million dollars to complete the works, and it also puts the Coast Guard's plans for that base on an extended delay.

The Commandant of the Coast Guard discussed it with us today:

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"We can't tell you who will take over the construction, but as you heard the CEO speak I think on Tuesday following Cabinet meeting that the Government of Belize has decided that we will take on the responsibility of completing the project and he went to term to explain the process on how this project will continue. It has to be advertised; the tendering process has to take place, contract has to be awarded and that takes a little bit of time considering the amount of protocol that has to go in it. But yes I can't give you a timeline, but the government of Belize has committed to completing this project as a government funded project."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, doesn't that push back your plans as commander for the usage of that base? Wouldn't you have wanted it to complete a quicker time?"

Admiral John Borland - Commandant, Belize Coast Guard
"You know what I want and what the reality is are two different things. I have my strategy, I have my plans. When policy doesn't match strategy, this is what happens. I will not miss a step in conducting operations out in Hunting Caye in that area of responsibility. We are currently conducting operations. We have a facility there, it not may be state of the art as we want to be, but we can survive. Survivability is there and we will continue to work and when this project does come online, we will be a little delayed, but it will welcomed."

This evening, we contacted George Lovell, the CEO of the Ministry of National Security, and he told us that way Hunting Caye project played out could have negative effects future projects that the US Government has planned for Belize. He notes as per oversight procedures that the US employs, whenever a project is incomplete and the Government has spent the kind of money it has done in the case of Hunting Caye, it is considered a failed project. That then triggers an intensive review about the circumstances surrounding its failure.

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