Coast Guard Seeking Adequate Salary System

In 2024, the Coast Guard saw a wave of promotions, with one hundred and thirty-five seamen moving up the ranks. Among them, fifty-five apprentice seamen advanced to full seamen, twenty-four seamen climbed to petty officer third class, ten made it to second class, and thirteen reached first class. Officers also received promotions, bringing a boost in their salaries. Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, the Coast Guard Commandant, proudly stated that these advancements are being handled just right.

 

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“When we recognized that we have shortcomings in 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 recur. So we selected a small team. of clerks. Here at the Post Guard Headquarters, we also assigned personnel at the Ministry of National Defense. And then we did everything that we could have done in terms of providing resources and manpower to address this issue, and we’ve done quite a lot. We, we, since the start of this operation in September, we adjusted, thirty-five personnel in September. In October, it was 87, and in November, 96. So that requires a very large effort from a small team of individuals to ensure that their Coast Guard personnel receive the salary that they deserve.”