September Celebrations calendar released
You will know from the airwaves that national celebrations are around the corner. And today the B.T.B. and the National September Celebrations Committee teamed up and presented a glossy calendar of activities which show that festivities this year begin early and conclude on September twenty-second with an Independence Day Bram. There is plenty of the usual: the military tattoo, trade expo, official ceremonies and of course the carnival activities which attract huge crowds. And one of the events that add luster to the programme is a concert by renown pianist, Frankie Reneau. Marion Ali has more details of this year’s celebration to mark the two hundred and tenth anniversary of the battle of St. George’s Caye and the twenty-seventh year of Independence.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It’s the season for patriotism and nationalism and today, the National September Celebrations Committee presented the celebrations calendar to revive that spirit among Belizeans. At the event there were two big announcements: the winning theme and winning logo for 2008. And while there were many creative entries, Co-Chair of the National September Celebrations Committee and Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya said the winning piece was outstanding.
Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“We had one hundred and forty-seven submissions. That’s a lot and most of these were very nationalistic, patriotic, they were funny sometimes, they were original. They really had originality and it was not easy selecting. Some came right off the top and they stood out. But out of a hundred and forty-seven submissions from Belizeans all over the country, it did take a while but finally the Themes Committee was able to shortlist three of those submissions but only one could win. And we took three of those to the entire September Celebrations Committee and there was a vote and the winning theme out of that one hundred forty-seven submissions from across the country of Belize is “Belizeans; Learning our Past, Impacting our Present, Embracing our Future and this theme was submitted by Mr. Boisrand Panton Jr. of Belize City.”
Boisrand Panton Jr. said he was prompted to get involved and send a message because of the recent spate of violence.
Boisrand Panton, Jr., Winner, 2008 Nat’l Sept., Celebrations Com.
“The times that we are in right now, people have to go back when yo di mek yo mistake yoh have to go back, si weh pah yoh gone wrong and try use something from there, put in something new to try and change the present. Right now we have wah lot ah violence di go on and so and now if yoh look pan wi past and si how wi used to look out fi one another, wi used to tek care ah each other property and stuff like that. Wi could use that, try get back to that. Actually, for the month ah September I would ah want ask all di youths and everybody weh di deal wid di violence and thing fi think twice before dehn do something just fi di month ah September. Maybe if yoh could do it fi wah month ih could go on fi a next month and wah next month and so on.”
Sharing the stage with Panton for 2008 is Natalie Palacio, an employee of the Belize Tourism Board whose logo entry captured first place in that category among a total of twelve submissions.
Natalie Palacio, Winner, 2008 Nat’l Sept., Celebrations Com.
“They needed a logo and so they asked each organization which comprises the September Celebrations secretariat to come up with options for them to chose from. I prepared four options for them to choose from and this one ended up being the winner. I just wanted something that really and truly symbolizes what September celebrations should be all about; which is the celebration of the two hundred and tenth anniversary of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye as well as the twenty-seventh anniversary of independence. So the logo that I created has colours from the flag as well as these two components.”
The other Co-Chair of the Committee, Diane Haylock, says the important thing is that historic events such as the Battle and Independence unite Belizeans.
Diane Haylock, Co-Chair, Nat’l Sept. Celebrations Committee
“There may be these different views as to the significance of the battle but throughout the length and breadth of this country, people from all over Belize, people from different ethnic groups, people from different political parties see the Battle of Saint George’s Caye as an important signature even in the life of the nation of Belize and I think that we have to acknowledge and respect that and I’m sure that the division that has persisted over the years would no longer continue to be so.”
For his prize, Panton took home a thousand dollars while Palacio received five hundred dollars. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
You can get your revised copy of the September Celebrations Calendar at town councils around the country beginning this coming Monday; revised because the printer’s devil was at work and the Calendar released today makes no mention of the twenty-seventh anniversary of independence on the cover.
And reigning Queen of the Bay, twenty- three year old Rony Coye, returned home last week after attending the Miss Queen of the Bay New York. She tells News Five that her year of reign has been a positive one. The new Queen of the Bay pageant is scheduled for Saturday, August thirtieth at the Belize City Centre.
