Delay in Forward Operating Base Rehabilitation Questioned by Former Minister

Former Minister of National Security, Michael Peyrefitte, is at a loss as to why the rehabilitation of the Forward Operating Base is taking so long.  According to Peyrefitte, the money was already secured for the base.

Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Chairman: “I’m surprised because then the Prime Minister, I think in the news last night, boasted that the reason why we’re so short on fuel or energy to provide electricity is because the economy is expanding so much and growing so fast. Well, if it is expanding so much and growing so fast, then you should have no difficulty in providing money to build a forward operating base. I’ve been to the forward operating base on the Sarstoon, it’s a very critical base for Belize where you could literally see the Guatemalan side, they can literally see the Belizean side with the Sarstoon island just off to the right if you’re looking from the Belize FOB. I mean, it is a critical, critical post. And if it was in a state of disrepair when noticed by this government, they should have moved the bird’s feed to fix it because when I visited, the soldiers indicated to me that it was a very, very critical point, base point for the BDF and for the Coast Guard in terms of patrolling the Belizean waters to protect our sovereignty. Also, when Belizeans go to visit the border, to check on the border, volunteers would go all the time, you need the Belizean presence there to give some guidance. So if they haven’t built it yet, they need to step up, in my view. And according to the prime minister, they have all the money in the world, so I can’t understand how they can’t do it.”