In America, the summer season which for them is still a few months away, is ushered in by Memorial Day, a holiday to commemorate the heroes of her many wars. In Belize, we’ve had no wars, but we do have a one hero. This weekend, we welcome in our summer or dry weather if you will, by commemorating the Baron. There are as usual all sorts of activities planned for this weekend and before discussing our grand benefactor, allow me to highlight a few key points on the calendar.

On Sunday, the C.T.C. Belmopan Cycling Classic takes off from the pound yard bridge at 9:00am sharp and with any other sport that might have meant anywhere around twelve, one o’clock. Kudos to cycling however, which is more often than not, punctual to the dot and the usually exciting finish of this race should be taking place at the National Stadium, sometime round two that afternoon. This will give us nuff time of course, to check out the multicolored kites that will be on display at the Yabra Green, and Steinhauer if you’re looking for art, forget those under endowed Greek statues with missing kneecaps and armpits, check out the action at Yabra. Contestants, fans and critics alike are reminded of course, that this year’s kite fest will be taking place on Sunday, the eighth and not Monday the ninth. Keep watch with the singers, the staries and moons, as the box kites sway as if to the rhythm of a tune. For the sixth year in a row, this gala event is being at least co-sponsored by Brothers Habet, and though no Baron Bliss, these guys have proven themselves quite benevolent: especially where sports and entertainment is concerned. On behalf of all who have benefited from their kind sponsorships, many thanks.

The public is reminded that senior basketball is underway at the civic and games will be played on Friday, Sunday and Monday. Softball on the other hand, has rescheduled it’s male marathon for next weekend and with so many stops on the itinerary, that might not have been a bad move. Monday of course is Regatta day and with the resurgence of the once traditional dory race, this year should prove especially entertaining and with most events in full view of the Baron’s tomb.

Born February 16th, 1869 in the Buckingham county of England, Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss, JP, fourth Baron Bliss of the former Kingdom of Portugal dropped anchor in the harbor of Belize on January 14th, 1926. It was of course, domicile at first smile but in less than two months after arriving, this distinguished adoptive son was dead. Though he had never set foot on land, the Baron’s heart adored us and left to the people of Belize, over a million dollars.

Little is known about the early life of this generous, yet mysterious nobleman, but there is a theory. The Baron left a wife, and at least one brother who we know of, yet considered neither to any consequence in his will. Judge Justice Rowlatt of the King’s bench of the High Court of Justice, and we speak of him some more later, stated on more than one occasion in his adjudication of March 1929, that it was clear that Bliss had left England forever. The Baron first went to the Bahamas where he actually lived for five years and even acquired some property there leading one to believe that he might have in fact, intended to settle there. He left in disgust however and moved all the way over to the other end of the Caribbean where he lived for about a year in Trinidad. Once again the vibes weren’t right however, and after hearing about the sleepy little hallow called Belize, he decided to test our hospitality. Obviously, we must have passed with flying colors. A logical assumption then would be that the kind Baron, who at 42 had become paralyzed from the waist down, was spurned at first by his native country of England and then by the Bahamas and later by Trinidad. There is no word as to whether he had tried Cayman. Now according to the same Judge Rowlatt mentioned before, in a ruling of March 11th, 1929 that it was not made out, that the baron had established a British Honduras domicile. The decision of course, cost Belize almost half of the original gift in English taxes, but eve so, we were still left with decent money. I guess it pays to be hospitable.

Now, the Baron’s funds, according to his will and according to Leo Bradley Sr., will never die, for we are to spend only the interest. That of course, in itself has been a tidy sum and from it we have realized many worthwhile projects, at least one in every district. In Belize City alone we have the Bliss Lighthouse, the Bliss School of Nursing, the Bliss Institute and at the international airport, the now demolished Bliss Intransit Lounge. Granted of course, the difficulty in finding any cavity in the mouth of a gift horse this size, if there is one, it’s has to be the fact that there is no provision in the will for repairs to buildings constructed. As we speak, the magnificent Bliss Institute in an accelerating state of decline and the much utilized stage of its auditorium, has been years without a curtain. The Bliss School of Nursing sits in dire need of electrical and plumbing repairs and just the other day, the nurses had to be evacuated due to a fire from faulty wires. According to the stipulations of the Baron’s will, all repairs and maintenance must be done by the recipients and in the case of the aforementioned, this would mean the Government of Belize. Both these facilities provide very essential services and it would be a disgrace if we should let them waste away. Anyway Belize, have a happy and safe holidays and remember to exercise the utmost of caution, especially if you go swimming. Many a happy outing has been spoiled by careless avoidable mishaps.