Belize’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise has entered a new phase, with changes in leadership at both the ministerial and executive levels and an early focus on strengthening crime prevention, enforcement, and institutional coordination. These developments are highlighted in the inaugural issue of On The Home Front, the Ministry’s new monthly newsletter, released on 31 December 2025.
The publication follows the appointment of Hon. Oscar Mira as Minister of Home Affairs and Enterprise after a Cabinet reshuffle in November, and the subsequent naming of Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, as Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry. Taken together, the appointments point to a renewed approach to citizen security, crime fighting, and institutional reform within one of government’s key portfolios.
Rear Admiral Elton Bennett assumed office as Chief Executive Officer on 17 December 2025, bringing nearly 30 years of military and security experience. He began his career in the Belize Defence Force in 1997 and was among the officers seconded to help establish the Belize Coast Guard in 2005. He has since held several senior command and staff posts, and was appointed Commandant of the Coast Guard in 2019, a position he continues to hold alongside his new role.
The Ministry expects Bennett’s experience in operations, logistics, and strategic planning to strengthen policy implementation and inter-agency coordination. He is also academically accomplished, with training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the United States Naval Staff College, King’s College London, and the Royal College of Defence Studies, and holds master’s degrees in defence studies and international security and strategy.
At the ministerial level, Hon. Oscar Mira has moved swiftly to understand the operational challenges facing law enforcement and allied agencies. One of his first major engagements was a ground briefing in Belize City, where he reviewed the National Crime Fighting Strategy with senior commanders of the Belize Police Department. The discussions centered on a three-pronged approach – prevention, intervention, and enforcement – which underpins the country’s current crime reduction efforts.
A central element of the strategy is the Gang Intelligence, Investigation and Interdiction (GI3) Unit. During the briefing, GI3 officers detailed their intelligence-led work tracking gang structures, leadership, and territorial dynamics in Belize City, as well as the challenges posed by overlapping boundaries and the risk of retaliatory violence. The briefings gave the Minister a first-hand view of both the gains achieved and the constraints faced by frontline units.
The Ministry has also underscored intervention and rehabilitation as key to public safety. Officials highlighted the work of the Leadership Intervention Unit (LIU), which focuses on job creation, life-skills development, and the reintegration of marginalized individuals. As part of his tour, Minister Mira walked through several neighborhoods, entered homes, and spoke directly with residents, reinforcing the Ministry’s commitment to community engagement as a foundation for long-term crime reduction.
These policy priorities have been underscored by tangible operational results. On 18 December 2025, the Belize Police Department seized cocaine with an estimated street value of BZ$841,000 during an early morning operation south of Caye Caulker. The operation resulted in the recovery of 23 parcels weighing approximately 29.1 kilograms. The Ministry described the seizure as significant, noting that it exceeded the total amount of cocaine confiscated nationwide throughout the rest of the year combined .
According to the newsletter, the success of the operation was attributed to rapid deployment by the Caye Caulker Police and effective inter-unit networking. Officials emphasized that such seizures not only disrupt criminal networks financially, but also reduce the potential for violence, corruption, and public health risks associated with illicit drugs. The operation has been cited as an example of the type of results the Ministry expects under its renewed leadership framework .
Security has also been strengthened in key economic zones. In December, the government established a permanent operating post inside the Corozal Free Zone, staffed by Belize Defence Force soldiers. The initiative, supported by Free Zone management, includes a dedicated patrol base and an all-terrain vehicle to enhance mobility. The Ministry noted that the measure is designed to protect workers, visitors, and commercial activity, while supporting a tiered security system involving multiple government agencies .
Complementing enforcement and security infrastructure are investments in forensic capacity. A new Forensic Scenes of Crime Office was opened in Dangriga at a cost of BZ$740,000, making it the second forensic facility in southern Belize. The office is expected to improve the timely processing of evidence and strengthen the scientific basis of criminal investigations. The project was implemented through collaboration between the Ministry, the U.S. Embassy in Belize, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing .
Community policing remains another cornerstone of the Ministry’s approach. The Police Department’s Community Police Unit continues to focus on building trust through neighborhood watch programs, youth initiatives, and public education, including on issues such as gender-based violence. The Ministry’s 2025–2029 strategic plan aims to further reform community policing practices and improve police–citizen relations nationwide .
As outlined in On The Home Front, the Ministry’s vision under its new leadership is “a safe and secure Belize” that supports social justice, stability, and prosperity. With new leadership in place, early operational results, and a stated emphasis on coordination and community engagement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise is positioning itself to play a central role in shaping Belize’s security landscape in the years ahead .