20 August 2020
PRESS RELEASE
The Belize Port Authority denounces in the strongest possible terms, the actions of the police to
charge Vessel Traffic Officer Keeron Young for “aiding and abetting” the exit from Belize of
Elvis Lennarez, Raymond Dawson Jr., Ryan Godoy, Dane Foreman and Herbert Godoy on board
a tugboat 4./. Ellis with barge ZMT/.
The Port Authority operates an clectronic system for processing of documents for arrival to and
departure of ships from a port facility. This was instituted in March 2020 primarily to reduce the
potential for exposure to the Coronavirus, and in keeping with the Government of Belize’s
mandate to transition to electronic processes.
As part of this system, a Shipping Agent for any vessel departing from any port facility in Belize
is required to email a Notice of Departure form to the Belize Port Authority. This is then checked
to ensure that it contains the required information and is accompanied with the other requisite
documentation. It is then stamped, dated, signed then emailed by the officer back to the Shipping
Agent.
There is no personal interaction with the vessel or crew, and no inspection of the vessel in this
process. The purpose of clearance is to ensure that the international standard of documentation is
met when a vessel leaves a port in one country with destination in another country, and for the
computation of the appropriate fees.
On 25 July, 2020, Officer Young was on duty at the Port Authority office in Belize City, which
is his assigned place of work, when he processed a Notice of Departure from Shipping Agent,
Banana Enterprises Limited. This form notified the Port Authority of the expected departure of
tugboat A.J. Ellis and barge ZMT/ from the Port of Big Creek. These Belizean cargo vessels
frequently operate between Belize and ports in Guatemala and Honduras. They had in fact made
in excess of 15 voyages since March 2020. The normal operation of these vessels is to go
without cargo, and return with full payloads of fertiliser, containers, and boxes for the
banana industry, which it did on all those voyages.
The notice was received by the Belize City office because that is the only office open on
weekends and 25 July, 2020 was a Saturday. As per procedure, Young stamped the Notice of
Departure and emailed it back to the Shipping Agent. This was the extent of his involvement
“Maritime Service, Security & Efficiency”
with this matter and at all material times he was at the Belize City Port Authority office and the
vessels were in Big Creek.
The Port Authority strongly condemns these charges; they are baseless, unjustified,
unsubstantiated. Cargo vessels are allowed to enter and exit Belize as an exception to quarantine
regulations. There was therefore nothing illegal in what Young did, and nothing that was
contrary to policy.
These charges seriously undermine the legitimacy of the work of the Belize Port Authority to
ensure safety and smooth operations at port facilities throughout Belize. It also undermines the
confidence of the dedicated, focussed and hardworking young men and women of the Belize Port
Authority, like Mr. Young, who conduct their duties with pride and integrity. The question now
needs to be asked: who will clear the next vessel scheduled to leave?
The Belize Port Authority calls on the Commissioner of Police to withdraw the charges
forthwith.
—– END OF RELEASE ——
“Maritime Service, Security & Efficiency”
