The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment convened the first meeting of the newly constituted project steering committee for the Belize Integral Security Programme (BISP) on February 18, 2021.
The BISP is a US$30 million project funded by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) that is geared towards strengthening citizen security through investments in infrastructure and equipment of the public institutions responsible for national security. Additionally, it is to foster local environments that improve the quality of life of Belizeans and support Central American efforts to combat crime. The beneficiary institutions of the project are the Belize Police Department, National Forensic Science Service, Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defence Force.
The project steering committee comprises chief executive officers from the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, Mrs. Narda Garcia; Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Mr. Victor Espat; Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, Mr. Kevin Arthurs; Ministry of National Defence and Border Security, Brigadier General (Ret’d) Dario Tapia; as well as the Financial Secretary, Mr. Joseph Waight; and the Project Coordinator, Mr. Elvis Requena.
Present at the meeting was also the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment’s Technical Focal Point for CABEI, Mr. Carlos Pol.