Tonight we have more from our extended interview with the BDF whistleblower who was a former Commanding Officer for the army's Services and Support Battalion-which deals directly with sourcing and distributing supplies for the BDF.
He explained soldiers' frustration with political meddling in BDF procurement-a chronic issue that he can only conclude persists because it enriches those pocketing kickbacks:
BDF Whistleblower, Ex Commanding Officer - Services and Support battalion
"The, Belize Defence Force, we know what we want, we know what will work for us. And even though we would send up that recommendation to say, guess what, this is what we want, rarely you would find someone who would say, well, okay, let us get that."
Jules Vasquez:
"Why do you think that is?"
BDF Whistleblower:
"That is simply because they have people that are themselves that would provide it at a cheaper price so that they could get their, little whatever kickbacks, benefits from, from the transaction that is being made,"
Jules Vasquez:
"You have seen this? You have witnessed this?"
BDF Whistleblower:
"I've witnessed this a number of times. That is seen when we would purchase boots, for example, when we would purchase uniform, much higher valued items that you can easily, I mean, you've heard in the past whereby soldiers would go on patrol and we call it, one-day- boots. And, you're going on a patrol that you need a boots that will suffice for at least a year or two years. But then it only lasts one year, I mean, one day. And then you would look at boots that would be in the range of 200, 300, $400 that after one patrol, you know, the bottom of these boots would come off."
Jules Vasquez:
"Have you seen this? Have seen this? $400 per unit for the boots, and it only lasts for a day?"
BDF Whistleblower:
"Yes, I've seen this with my own eyes."
Jules Vasquez:
"But what's the problem with it? Is it dry rotten? Is it the inferior quality?"
BDF Whistleblower:
"It's surely an inferior quality. It's surely not what is the standard required for the terrain that we have here in Belize. And again, as I mentioned, we've made recommendations based on what we know to be, quality boots, but we don't get what we normally would, recommend to, to be purchased."
