But while the recruitment will take place over 10 months, Loria only has about 3 months before he goes on pre retirement leave. Minister Oscar Mira explained previously that his time as brigadier general should have already ended, but had to be extended. And today we asked Loria about his time as commander.
Brigadier Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"I was to be on pre-retirement leave at this point in time because I have quite a bit of leave that I have not taken and usually as a senior officer, we tend to compile a bit of leave so the ministry has decided to keep me on for another 3, 4 perhaps 5 months but my contract expires on the 21st of December of this year. So they extended it for me to continue serve until September, October, thereabout, after which I will have to proceed on pre-retirement leave."
"We went back to the basics 3, 4 years ago under the tutelage of Minister Marin, back to the basics, back to refurbishing our installations. Our installations, it's no secret and I can say, I'm not tired of saying those were dilapidated so the ministry of defense came up with the intent to refurbish the basis, the military basis. They are not much, about 4 or 5 of them of which the media knows we have been doing, we have refurbished the FOB at Sarstoon, we are in the process of getting Fairweather camp refurbished, at Price Barracks, I believe we have the barrack rooms spanking new to withstand a category 5 hurricane, the brand new dining facility. At the moment we are paving the parade square, it's not fully done yet, it's still in the process, but we are trying to catch up."
Reporter:
"Who succeeds you?"
Brigadier Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, BDF
"I don't know. That is not for me to say, it's not my call, it's above my pay scale. We have some candidates. For sure the ministry and the government of Belize will ask for some of my recommendations and we have prepared some senior officers that there are very good candidates, all of them have their strengths."
