Discontent has emerged among members of a country’s Coast Guard over the staggered rollout of a new $17 daily meal allowance, which is being rolled out first to troops of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) while Coast Guard sailors are required to wait months for the benefit. The frustration became public via social media, after Coast Guard personnel discovered they would not receive the per diem payment immediately, despite prior expectations that the new allowance would be extended to all branches of the nation’s security forces at the same time.
Senior defence officials have defended the phased approach, noting that the different operational models of the two branches justify the staggered timeline. Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of National Defence, explained that the initial rollout to BDF soldiers is tied to a broader trial of new meal options for jungle deployments. Under the current pilot program, the ministry is purchasing pre-packaged meals ready to eat (MREs) for BDF troops conducting multi-day jungle patrols, where troops often travel for days on foot before reaching their operational areas and cannot easily transport fresh rations. The $17 daily per diem rate was set after internal planning, and Usher noted that defence officials are open to feedback from participating troops, who may request adjustments to the MRE options, including switching to freeze-dried rations better suited to jungle operating conditions.
Usher emphasized that the delayed rollout for the Coast Guard is not a cut to benefits, but a reflection of the branch’s unique operational logistics. Unlike BDF jungle patrols, Coast Guard units travel by boat to their forward operating bases, all of which have permanent kitchen facilities that allow for the preparation of fresh rations. At the suggestion of the Coast Guard Commandant, which Usher endorsed, the branch will continue its existing fresh ration program through the end of the current fiscal year. The new $17 daily meal allowance will be rolled out to all Coast Guard personnel starting on April 1, the first day of the next fiscal year. At that time, Coast Guard personnel will retain access to fresh rations in addition to receiving the new per diem.
Usher added that funding for the allowance was already fully approved and available for the BDF rollout, so no additional budget authorization was required to launch the pilot program. He also clarified the terms of the allowance for Coast Guard personnel once it launches: sailors deployed at sea will continue to receive fresh rations, while personnel stationed at shore-based camps will receive the per diem payment. The original report is a transcript of an evening television news broadcast, with Kriol language portions transcribed using a standard spelling system for accessibility.