Foreign Minister Leads Diplomatic Delegation to Sarstoon

Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca recently led a delegation of ambassadors, as well as other members of the diplomatic community, to the Sarstoon River, the southernmost point on the map of Belize.  The visit precedes the official launch of a forward operating base that has been reconstructed at the estuary.  He told us more about the visit.

 

 Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I thought it was very important.  We had all of our heads of mission in Belize, we have our annual heads of mission encounter.  So we had all of our ambassadors in Belize and we thought it was a very useful opportunity to take them out to the Sarstoon, to the forward operating base, to see for themselves.  You know, they very often talk about this at conferences and in meetings, but a few of them have never been out there.  So we thought that it was important for them to see firsthand what we are talking about, what we are defending when we talk about territorial integrity, national sovereignty and to have them meet and engage with the soldiers out there, the BDF soldiers who are manning the forward operating base and to meet our coast guard officials as well.  So, you know, I was out there recently, along with the Minister of Border Security Florencio Marin.  He and I were out there and we opened the forward operating base, it’s been nicely refurbished.  So we wanted them to have that experience and they all thoroughly enjoyed it and said it meant a lot to them to have that opportunity because now they can speak about it with a lot more confidence and a lot more, you know, passion because they, themselves, have experienced the Sarstoon.”