1 week ago
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Prime Minister John Briceño has selected Rear Admiral Elton Bennett to serve as the new Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise. The appointment was formalized today in Cabinet notification and an official government press release sent out. Bennett has been in office since yesterday in Belmopan, officially assuming his new administrative responsibilities after concluding his tenure as Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard. Speaking in an interview today, Bennett explained his decision to transition from a senior military post into a civilian executive role, describing it as a call to continue national service in a different capacity.
Elton Bennett, CEO, Ministry of Home Affairs: “I don’t think we should be surprised. I’m a public officer. I serve the government and people of Belize and I’ve been doing that for all my work career. So people shouldn’t be surprised when I transition from a uniform assignment to a civilian assignment. I’m still serving the government and people of Belize. You’d have to appreciate that my last assignment as the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard was for six years. Prior to that, I was the vice commandant for 10 years. So I really reached the pinnacle of my career as a head of one of the armed services in Belize. So where do we go from there? Whilst it may not appear as a natural progression to move from the armed service into a CEO position. The fact is these heads of department or these appointments as commanders of the military really prepares you for even greater challenges, even serving in this new capacity. Whilst it may not appear as a natural progression, it is very similar in the fact that you’re serving your country at a very higher level. Let me add as well that the position as commandant of the Belize Coast Guard is under section 107 of the Constitution so it is appointed by the Prime Minister and it is up to the Prime Minister’s discretion on your service. So for me to move from a head of an armed service to a CEO position is very similar.”
As part of his transition, Bennett also paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police, who personally called to congratulate him on his appointment. Bennett spoke about that engagement and the importance of cooperation at the highest levels of the Ministry.
Elton Bennett, CEO, Ministry of Home Affairs: “We discussed certain things that at this point cannot be divulged. It’s not for public consumption, but we both pledged to work together. And I give him the directions that I received in terms of administration and adding structure to the ministry. I hinted on some of the changes that will be coming in terms of improving the department and improving the ministry on a whole and discussing where we can go in terms of inspiring the Police Department and influencing our communities that we’re here to serve. So it was a very productive and a very good meeting and I do look forward to supporting the Police Department and supporting the forensic services, the prison service, the enterprise and the firearm control board as well. So there’s a broad range of responsibility here, but obviously the police department which is by far the largest department in the ministry, requires special attention in terms of implementation of strategy moving the department forward.”
The timing of his appointment aligns with recent statements from Minister of Home Affairs and Enterprise Oscar Mira, who has openly acknowledged that the Police Department requires significant reform to rebuild trust with communities. Upon taking over the Ministry last month, Mira outlined priorities including improved leadership, stronger training standards, clearer accountability mechanisms, and closer community engagement. Within that context, Bennett’s military background is viewed by officials as complementary to the Ministry’s reform agenda, particularly in strengthening operational discipline and institutional management across law enforcement. We will have more from our interview with CEO Bennett later in this newscast./
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