Military Defense
Improving Our Defenses
During the past five years the claim over our country and the threat to our territorial integrity and security has grown steadily as our allies stood by to watch us being bullied by Guatemala and civilians being treated aggressively by Guatemalan Military on Belizean Territories at the Sarstoon.
We know that Guatemala has grown and advanced their military and has a substantial superiority in conventional weapons. Regrettably, past administrations have never provided a healthy budget for our forces, they have weakened our defenses, disenfranchised our men and alienated real allies.
We plan to address the readiness of our ground forces and make improvements adequately.
We shall make upgrades in the following:
- Improve the armaments and battle readiness of our forces.
- Increase the number of enlisted regular forces and reserves.
- Liaise with friendly forces to share training and techniques, tactics etc.
- Acquire two aerial troop carriers along with a fast Gazelle type attack helicopter.
- Improve salaries and perks of the Belize Armed Forces especially, those on lower scale.
- Work on establishing a distinct marker along our recognized borders with regular patrols.
- Create a light artillery battery for frontier defenses and Mortar Platoon for infantry support.
- Acquire metal shark boats for patrols on the Sarstoon and Rio Hondo, complemented with well-equipped coastal patrol vessels.
Protecting Our Sovereignty
With regard to the above-mentioned improvements to our armed forces, they are not meant for offensive intentions in any way, we need to be able to protect our sovereignty in a more formidable fashion, be able to respond quickly, repel an attack, if our liberty is seen at threat by unfriendly forces. Thus, increasing the levels of interdiction, territorial security and special operation, we would be able to promote citizen security and by extension, a crime free nation with the ability to deter unfriendly foes and maintain our established sovereignty intact.
Combined with the change educational module, we will be embarking on producing technicians for servicing the aforementioned crafts with a planned practical course for all enlisted men doing a required minimum enlistment time.
Our enhanced re-equipped defense personnel with better creature comforts – material comforts that contribute to physical ease and well-being, such as food and accommodations, and heightened morale will be an example of what can be achieved when proper investment in our most common resource – our people, is placed as a priority.
Stop Corruption from Crippling our Military
Our armed forces have been stifled and handcuffed to bad military and security decisions made by self-righteous corrupt politicians; yet, every single time they are called to duty… they have responded magnificently despite government neglect and a severe shortage of manpower and equipment. We will give our servicemen decent living conditions, access to proper and effective mental health care. In addition, we must develop and maintain an effective reserve force with improved equipment and education, we will certainly increase their strength.
A strong national defense makes for good diplomatic relations based on strength and mutual respect.