Tribute to Belizean Patriots Recognizes Jimmy Carter

Stuart Leslie

Tonight, as part of the September Celebrations calendar, twenty-five men and women, regarded as Belizean patriots, will be formally recognized by the Government of Belize.  Included among this year’s cohort of honorees is former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, upon whom the Order of Belize will be bestowed.  Several posthumous awards will also be bestowed in recognition of the late Gwendolyn Lizarraga, a Belizean businesswoman, politician and women’s rights activist.  Earlier today, we spoke with Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie about the Class of 2023.

Stuart Leslie, Cabinet Secretary

“From what we are being told, the weather is supposed to, the rain should stop and we should have a beautiful setting tonight, right at the foot of the Supreme Court building where twenty-five honorees will receive awards for meritorious service, distinguished service for the Order of Belize.  For the Order of Belize, last year, if you will recall, the Cabinet had approved, and with the Governor General’s assent, the conferral of the Order of Belize on former US President Jimmy Carter.  His daughter arrived in country yesterday and so we are going to confer that degree on her tonight.  And, of course, we are very proud to also confer posthumously an Order of Belize on Madam Liz.  Everybody knows the famous Madam Liz, the first woman to be a minister of cabinet, first woman to be Minister of Education.  So tonight, we will confer the degree on her posthumously and we have meritorious awards in areas like for work in the environment, we have in education.  We have eleven women and eleven men getting awards of merit in those areas and also for community outreach from all six districts.  And then the Order of Distinction is going to be conferred on the former President of St. John’s College, Fr. Leo Weber.  Those are the awards that will be handed out tonight by Her Excellency, the Governor General.”