Were BDF Rifle Purchases Handled Like Questionable Food Contracts?

Food supplies may have triggered the Ministry of Defense procurement scandal, but tonight, the story appears to be widening from the kitchen to the armory. News Five has confirmed with Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Defense, that before he took office, the Belize Defense Force purchased one hundred and twenty Taurus rifles. But key questions remain unanswered, including who supplied those weapons and how those payments were made. When News Five asked CEO Usher to identify the supplier, he said he could not provide much detail, citing the ongoing audit, which covers the period in question. But reliable information reaching News Five suggests that the supplier may have been politically favored. There is also the question of whether payments for the Taurus rifles were split below the ten-thousand-dollar threshold, the same questionable practice now under investigation in relation to food procurement. CEO Usher says he does not have access to those records. However, credible information suggests that the rifle payments may have followed that same pattern. The price tag raises even more questions. A military-grade Taurus rifle can cost anywhere between fifteen hundred and two thousand U.S. dollars. With one hundred and twenty rifles reportedly procured, the total value would have been significant. When asked whether Taurus rifles are suitable for military use, Usher said that, based on his knowledge, they are. But he also pointed out that the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast Guard have traditionally preferred Colt rifles because of their proven track record. In fact, the Ministry of Defense purchased three hundred and fifty Colt rifles in 2025. According to Usher, Fort Point Security won the bid to supply those weapons. He explained that the contract required fifty percent payment in advance and the remaining fifty percent upon delivery. Usher says that transaction has been completed. Each Colt rifle was purchased at approximately six thousand dollars. So, while the public focus has been on food supplies, the bigger question tonight is whether the procurement scandal stops there, or whether the same red flags now being examined also extend to the purchase of firearms for Belize’s security forces.

 

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