Merida Initiative Hands Over Equipment

January 5, 2010

On January 8, 2010, U.S. Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally will hand over to Minister of National Security Carlos Perdomo US $63,000 of equipment purchased through the U.S. Government's Merida Initiative.

This equipment comprises only a fraction of the equipment and training that is being provided to the Government of Belize through Merida Initiative funding. To date, more than US $500,000 of equipment and training has been ordered through the Merida Initiative.

The Merida Initiative is a multi-year regional effort to strengthen the capacities of the governments in Central America, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti to confront organized crime within their respective territories, acting individually and collaborating on a regional basis.

Equipment to be turned over on January 8 includes bullet-proof vests, handcuffs, cameras, binoculars, night vision equipment, metal detectors, metal scanners, video projectors, computers, flashlights, and Global Positioning System receivers. This equipment will be distributed to more than 20 branches/units of the Belize Police Department and the Belize Central Prison.

All media houses are invited to attend the official handover ceremony on January 8, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan. If interested, please contact Denise Nisbet by email: nisbetdl@state.gov, or by telephone: 822-4011 ext. 4370, before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6.