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So, now all those were just preliminaries…the big news of the day was that the Sarstoon Joint Forces Operating Base is open and ready for Belizean Law Enforcement to start to use it. 

Our Daniel Ortiz was there, and here’s his story:

Exactly 19 weeks ago, these National Security Officials were on this exact same bank at the Sarstoon River mouth to break ground. Over the weeks that followed this frame slowly transformed to become what you see here today. The building is made of wood, but this Forward Operating Base is structurally sound for the wetland terrain
Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security
"You will recall less than 3 months ago when this location was merely a swamp marshy mangrove at the time of launching of the ground breaking ceremony for this facility. The transformation has been impressive as you can see. A facility that is now capable of accommodating dozens of law enforcement officers."
Captain V. Briceno - BDF
"This day the 20th of April 2016 will be remembered as a historic and significant day with the activities that will transpire here."

And while it may seem like only 5 months from ground-breaking to ribbon cutting, the General says it has actually taken the BDF over a decade to get to this point:

Brig Gen. David Jones - Commander, BDF
"I can recall it was in 2008 when I was the commanding officer for the first in country battalion at Fayweather Camp here in Punta Gorda; when I was first task to conduct a recognisance along the Sarstoon River in order to locate a site for a forward operating base. It has been the BDF's intention to have a base in this area at least for almost a decade."

The Sarstoon Base is right across the river from the Guatemala Navy’s Sarstoon Base. Though the setup may appear adversarial, the General says that the BDF are hoping to work with the Guatemalan Military to cooperate in trying to curb illegal activities in the Sarstoon:

Brig Gen. David Jones - Commander, BDF
"The entrance to this river marks the entrance of the international boundary that we share with our neighbour Guatemala and it is fitting that we work with them here as we are neighbours and we share the same concerns and challenges. Even though our base is directly opposing out Guatemalan counterpart it is not here to act as an opposing force to them. It is covering the same principle of having great field of view to have eyes on what is entering and exiting the river. We will endeavour to work with them on a principle of neutral respect and cooperation as we share an international boundary. Despite our countries' political differences, we will continue to work as professionals despite the seemingly complex nature we have to work under that can result in tensions."

But, it has not gone unnoticed for National Security Minister, that the Belize Military finally has a presence in the Sarstoon. That’s something civilians like those in the Territorial Volunteers have consistently criticized them about, and at today’s opening, Saldivar publicly thanked them:

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security
"There are those who believe that our military presence in the Sarstoon has not been enough. They have felt a need personally and individually as civilians demonstrate a presence in this area. We thank them for their value, we thank them for their bravery, we thank them for their patriotism. We have now established a forward operating base here at the mouth of the Sarstoon and it is for as we have always maintained for our military forces, for our trained forces to deal with maintaining our sovereignty and integrity especially in an area that is under conflict."

While looking at the facility and its current calm, you might be misled for a brief moment into thinking it’s a tourist destination. But, this is for military and enforcement purposes, and the commanders told us that this base is equipped to house up to 12 soldiers at once:

Adm. John Borland - Commandant, Belize National Coast Guard
"The facility is built as you saw to occupy at least a dozen people and we looking at a staffing of 8 BDF members along with 4 coast guard and perhaps a single police man to staff the facility."

Brig Gen. David Jones - Commander, BDF
"This facility of course the soldiers have their equipment to survive here and to operate from this base. A part from that they have the beds, they have refrigerators for them to store their food, they have their stove to do cooking, they have importantly radios to communicate. So they are self-sustained here, it’s just a matter of getting the food and rations for them and operate and they will also have their vessel to operate from this base; so they are quite sustained and the base is ready to be operational immediately now. "

According to the National Security Minister, the Government is already making another Forward Operating Base, this one Consejo Shores, Corozal.