On October ninth, the construction of the Coast Guard’s forward operating base on Hunting Caye came to an abrupt stop. Following public outrage and outcry at the news that a Guatemalan company using Guatemalan workers was building the military facility, U.S. Southcom issued the stop order. In the days following that order, the Coast Guard told the media that they had met with their U.S. counterparts and were discussing a way forward. There was every indication that the relationship between the U.S. and Belize had not been fractured. But at a press conference called by the Ministry of National Security today, there are other indications. According to Minister John Saldivar, the U.S. has now handed them a ‘take it or do it yourself’ scenario.
John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
John Saldivar
“We have been advised by the US Army Corp of Engineers that at this point there are only two options for Belize. One, that the construction of the forward operating base continues under the existing contractual arrangements with BINARQ and no change in their workforce configuration. Option two is for the government of Belize to complete the construction of the forward operating base. These two options were presented to Cabinet on Tuesday by my ministry and Cabinet has made a decision to go with option two which is for the government of Belize to continue and complete the construction of the forward operating base.”
Dean Barrow
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I’ve been told that the cost of completing the forward operating base is one point six million dollars—a cost that government will gladly assume in the context of our determination to demonstrate to the people of this country that we are both willing and able to stand on our own feet. I want to be perfectly clear that decision is not in any sense meant to be a rebuke to the United States of America. The fact is that in contracting with the Guatemalans, they did what the agreement side by the last administration perfectly entitled them to do. So there can be no quarrel with them. But in the context of the fallout from the disclosure made as to the fact of this Guatemalan company being the contractor, the context of the outpouring of nationalist sentiment—which of course is something that this particular government is always anxious to encourage—I am perfectly happy with the decision of Cabinet.”
Following that Cabinet decision, G.O.B. has been contacted with the information that BINARQ may be open to compromise, which would entail that company hiring Belizean labour. If those talks proceed, the matter will be taken back to Cabinet.
View the full article