(BBC) Britain is to close its military base in Belize.
The decision is part of a major drive by the government in London to slash spending.
Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper says the planned departure of 3,000 troops a year, who go through the tough training in Belize, has also led to fears that the country will be more vulnerable to foreign invasion, similar to the incursions by Guatemala in the late 80s.
The Telegraph report says the area has been the home of the British Army’s jungle training for the last sixteen years, and the withdrawal will mean the loss of 160 local civilian jobs.
Belize also stands to lose an estimated US$5million injected into the local economy by the presence of the Base.
It has not been announced just when the closure will take effect.
