Sir Barry Bowen laid to rest in San Ignacio

Earlier in the news cast, we told you about the Belize City and San Pedro services held for Sir Barry Bowen. The coverage continues with the motorcade of hundreds of mourners celebrating the life of the business mogul and culminated this afternoon with the procession, led by the Belize Defence Force Marching Band in full pomp and circumstance that made its way through the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano was there for the final moments.

Isani Cayetano

“The funeral service and interment of Sir Barry Bowen has drawn family, friends and political notables to the cemetery in San Ignacio as they have gathered to bid him farewell.”

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The procession of mostly company vehicles from Bowen’s vast commercial empire made the seventy-odd mile journey to what is now his final resting place.  While his children comforted each other long-time employee and personal friend Hilly Martinez spoke fondly of his former boss.

Hilly Martinez, Friend/Employee of Barry Bowen

“He was a man with lots of vision and everything he did, he did to perfection. He wanted every T’s crossed and I’s dotted. That’s just the type of person he was.”

PM Dean Barrow

And the type of person he was earned Bowen the ultimate honour bestowed upon him by Her Majesty the Queen of England.  Similar to his knighthood, Bowen received the highest respect in death from soldiers as M16s rang into the skies above while employees and onlookers laid wreaths at his gravesite. Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke of him as a true patriot and luminary.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“He was obviously one of the greatest modern day Belizeans; one of the greatest Belizeans of his generation. It’s not just that he was so immensely successful as a businessman, it was the fact that he was always prepared to take risks, that he was always prepared to diversify even when it meant that he would get into new areas that were far from certain in terms of offering the kinds of returns that businessmen and entrepreneurs would normally look for. That is what I found most outstanding about him; that he had a mindset that suggested that he could get anything out of the Belizean earth.”

Bowen’s love for Belize also led to his involvement in legislation as he was appointed to the Senate under the last political administration.  Opposition Leader John Briceño remembers his dedication as a senator.

John Briceño

John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition

“He joined the Senate and despite the fact that he was representing the government side, he was always prepared to stand up and speak on issues as he saw fit. And so he was always there representing not only our government, but even the people of this country. I think that Barry Bowen is one of those rare individuals that you meet in life, a person that whenever you meet him you know that you were in the presence of a good man, of  a great man, of a visionary and I know that our country, we are going to miss him. And certainly we are grateful for everything that he has done, the work that Barry has done for this country, he has played a crucial role, a critical role in the development of this country.”

The congregation at the cemetery, though solemn, shared in the memories of Bowen and despite his untimely, passing are prepared to move on with accomplishing his dreams.

Hilly Martinez

“Business continues as usual. Tomorrow we open as usual, we open on Monday. So business will continue; there will be no change in the whole organization. Business will continue, the organization will continue running tomorrow.”

Sir Barry Bowen’s funeral was fitting for a man who gave so much of his life to Belize. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.