B.D.F. Commander Gives Update on Norman Rodriguez

David Jones

In February we told you about B.D.F. Corporal Norman Rodriguez, a thirteen year veteran of the B.D.F. who was diagnosed with an arterio-venous malformation on the brain. It’s a condition that required surgery and Rodriguez was complaining bitterly that he felt mistreated and pushed around by the B.D.F., at least where his medical treatment was concerned. The update is that Rodriguez is now out of the force after a Medical Board certified him unfit. This means that he will receive his salary for the rest of his life. That’s good news for the former soldier who, to our knowledge, hasn’t gotten his surgery yet.

Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander, Belize Defence Force

“He went in front of a Medical Board and the doctors decided that he is not fit to continue service in the Belize Defence Force. So that has been approved, he’s been medically boarded and he will now get his benefits as a soldier who is not able to do duties anymore.”

Reporter

“Nothing in relation to…because I remember he required surgery?”

Brig. Gen. David Jones

“Well what wasn’t aired in the news is that the surgery that he required is very difficult. It is a fifty-fifty situation. It is very likely that he will die if he takes that surgery. It’s a radiation surgery in the brain, and if you touch the brain, it is very likely after that surgery that he will be a vegetable. So it’s up to him if he wanted to take that risk. That was explained to him. That surgery would have been done in Mexico, not here in Belize. And that was something that he would have had to make that decision. That was explained to him but that wasn’t aired over the media that it was a risky surgery and if he goes into that surgery it is very likely that he would not come back as a regular person.”

Since Rodriguez is now out of the force, if he does choose to get his surgery, he would have to foot the bill.