Are B.D.F. Soldiers Demoralised?

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), recently addressed concerns regarding the morale and welfare of soldiers, including unresolved issues related to pay. General Loria echoed the sentiments of a former intellectual general of the BDF, stressing that he does not lead through social media but remains accessible for discussions. “If there are problems, come to me. My office is open,” he stated.

General Loria acknowledged that the matter of soldier pay remains under the purview of the Public Services Commission but assured that salaries continue to be disbursed without interruption. He expressed confidence that pay will not be cut and stressed that some allowances are currently in the pipeline. “I do not believe that it will be caught, but that is only my belief, and they continue to receive their salaries, every single one of them.”

He added, “There are some allowances that are in the pipeline as well. So I don’t know how that would be an issue whenever we have been hearing of even pay allowances for everyone.”

Turning to challenges faced by the BDF, General Loria pointed out the neglect of military installations during hurricanes, referencing the frequent damage seen at Price Barracks, where zinc sheets are often blown off. “ We have been neglected. The media is aware of that. When every hurricane comes, you all know what happens to our installations in Price Barracks. You see zinc all over the place.”

Despite these setbacks, he underscored improvements made during his tenure, including the replacement of a dilapidated kitchen, which had been on the verge of closure by the Ministry of Health, with a modern facility. “But we were trying to improve, and over the past in my tenure, for instance, that dilapidated kitchen that we had is no more. It was about to be closed on by the Ministry of Health. We have a brand new one. We have some, uh, top-of-the-line barrack rooms to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.”

Loria said they are trying to improve. “We wish the resources we have were infinite, but we must live within our means. We don’t have petroleum in this country,” he said.

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