Belize?s Gloria Edwards is regional Unsung Hero

For the third year running, Belize has claimed top honours in the FirstCaribbean International Bank’s Unsung Hero award programme. It was announced today that retired teacher seventy year old Gloria Edwards was chosen from more than one hundred candidates from fifteen countries as the 2005 regional winner. Edwards has promoted music and the arts in Belize for more than forty years, travelling to rural villages in the Belize District to teach music up to this day. Along with a trophy, Edwards will receive a cheque for fifteen thousand Belize dollars. When we spoke to Edwards at the national award ceremony in October, she told us she would use the monies awarded to get a new vehicle, purchase musical instruments, and expand her programme to the other five districts of the country. The achievements and contributions of Edwards and runners-up Cynthia Stanko of the Cayman Islands and Mavis Williams of the Bahamas will be celebrated at a ceremony in their honour next year at FirstCaribbean’s headquarters in Barbados. Judges on this year’s panel included Sir Shridath Ramphal, Sir George Alleyne, Sir Neville Nicholas, Jones P. Madeira, Marie MacCormack, and Eudene Bariteau. Previous Regional Unsung Heroes are Belizeans Nurse Nancy Juan and Florence Dillett for her work with Youth Enhancement Services.