Nine honoured in Tribute to Belizean Patriots

As has become tradition during the September celebrations, during ceremonies at the Radisson on Tuesday night, nine men and women were honoured in the annual Tribute to Belizean Patriots. Roman Catholic Bishop Osmond Peter Martin received the highest award of the night, the Order of Belize. The Dangriga born Martin was ordained as a priest in 1959 and over the next forty-seven years his pastoral service included significant work in education. In 1984, Martin became the first Belizean to be named Bishop of Belize City and Belmopan. In receiving his award, Bishop Martin maintained that his achievements are the result of collaborative effort by a number of people.

Bishop O. P.Martin, Order of Belize Recipient
“I look upon especially, the teachers who have had to endure many hardships in going to the villages to educate the children of our nation and these are the Garinagu teachers. There has been a development in this respect. Today, we have the indigenous people, the Ketchi and the Mayan people staffing their own schools, taking care of their own people, giving an account of themselves. So to them, I pass on this tribute and this honour. Thank You.”

During last night’s ceremony, Emory King Sr. was posthumously conferred with the Order of Distinction, which was accepted by his son, Emory Junior. King Senior served for many years as Chairman of the National Honours and Awards Advisory Committee and this year’s ceremony was dedicated to his memory. Honoured with the Order of Meritorious Service were Andy Palacio for his contribution to music, veteran Red Cross volunteer, Gloria Gilharry, James Janmohammed for his work with the National Emergency Management Organization, career public servants Anita Zetina and Anthony Sylvestre Senior for work in government, veteran educator Sister Mercy Cervantes and broadcaster Rene Villanueva along with his radio station Love FM.

Prime Minister Said Musa
“There are three S’s that standout with all these patriots, success clearly in their lives, service and sacrifice. They’ve all sacrificed in their own way for Belize and certainly they’ve all served us and have been serving us and we thank them all. If I can read from the proclamation that was signed by his Excellency the Governor General, just the preamble, it says that whereas the following persons have laboured diligently on behalf of the improvement of and to the benefit of our country Belize and whereas they have contributed their time, energy and intelligence often at great sacrifice to themselves to making Belize a better place for all our people, now therefore and so and so it happens. And so tonight we are going to bestow on them the awards as patriots of Belize. I thank you.”