As of July 28, 2017, Jeff Bella is a newly appointed American Warden for Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Bella, who hails from the State of Wisconsin in the United States of America, has been living on La Isla Bonita for the past 15 years. As a new representative of the Embassy of the United States in Belize, he is tasked to assist American citizens living or travelling to the island.
Bella says that his main responsibility as a Warden is to assist consular sections in disaster preparedness, welfare, whereabouts, and alerting fellow Americans of emergency situations. “I will also provide important, timely, safety and security information. This might include the times and locations of upcoming local demonstrations, areas of potential unrest due to local celebrations or elections, or information about a specific medical issue,” said Bella. “I will also provide the Embassy with information on any citizen who may be in need of Embassy involvement due to arrest, serious illness, death or being a victim of crime,” he said.
In addition, Bella suggested the use of a free service known as Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). According to him, it allows U.S. citizens who are traveling or living abroad to register their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The Embassy relays important information about safety conditions in the destination or country the person is visiting or residing in. The service can be accessed by visiting https://step.state.gov/ . Bella also takes this opportunity to inform all U.S. citizens that the U.S Embassy can be contacted in the following ways for any situation:
[email protected]
501-822-4011 x 4201
501-610-5030 (after-hours emergency)
Wardens are civilians (not State-Department employees) with strong ties to their communities. They are typically fluent in the culture, habits, layout of the communities, and language of their adopted countries. Most of the Wardens are retired, work full-time or part-time, or even pursue humanitarian projects. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they are charitable people who want to give a local perspective to those in need.
To learn more about the warden services on the island, feel free to contact Jeff Bella at 628-7057 or [email protected].
Share
Read more
