Above: the HMS Argyll (Photo: UK Gov)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

A delegation from the Belize Defence Force and the Belize Coast Guard recently concluded an official visit to the United Kingdom.

The delegation included Brigadier General David Jones, the commander of the Belize Defence Force, and Rear Admiral John Borland, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard.

The pair met with Ministry of Defence Minister Dr Andrew Murrison and other senior British military officers.

The Belizean officers were invited by the British government to an international maritime security capability conference.

They also held meetings at the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, before visiting the HMS Argyll, which will be deployed to the Caribbean later in 2014.

“I welcome this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the strong relationship between the British Armed Forces and the Belizean Military,” said British High Commissioner to Belize Peter Hughes. “The UK recognizes the challenges faced by the region in tackling violence and organized crime. We are committed to working with international partners to provide further assistance in the form of training and expertise.”