Salary Raises for Belize Coast Guard Personnel Continue as Part of Compensation Plan

More than 200 personnel from the Belize Coast Guard have had their salaries increased this year, with more raises reportedly on the way. Today, the Commandant of the BCG, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, explained that the Coast Guard assessed the organization’s weaknesses and found that adequate salaries were a major issue. Bennett said that the BCG developed a plan to address adequate compensation for personnel, which involves a short-term and long-term component. 

RADM Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “When we recognized that we had shortcomings in their salaries for our personnel, we went to the drawing table and we came up with a people operation, a long-term and a short-term plan that will address the immediate shortcomings and then to put in place some long-term initiatives to ensure that this doesn’t reoccur. So we selected a small team of clerks here at the Coast Guard headquarters but also assigned personnel at the Ministry of National Defense. And then we did everything that we could have done in terms of providing the resources and manpower to address this issue. And we have done quite a lot. Since the start of this operation in September, we adjusted 35 personnel in September. In October, it was I think 87, and in November 97 personnel were adjusted. So that requires a very large effort from a small team of individuals to ensure that our Coast Guard personnel receive the salary that they deserve. So we’re making that effort to ensure that occurs.”

A total of 219 personnel at varying positions within the BCG received pay raises. Minister of National Defence Florencio Marin Jr. has weighed in on the matter, noting that the government is committed to increasing the quality of life for men and women in uniform.