Independence celebrations launched at St. George’s Caye
The September celebrations kicked off this afternoon with an opening ceremony held at the earliest capital of Belize, Saint George’s Caye where the battle took place in 1798. And today it declared a national site by the National Institute of Culture and History. News Five’s Duane Moody witnessed the event.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The opening ceremony of this year’s national celebrations took place for the first time this afternoon in St. George’s Caye. The event was quite significant for the historical perspective.
Diane Haylock, Co-Chair, September Celebrations Committee
“Saint George’s Caye, for those who do not know, was the first capital of Belize. It is where the battle was fought and won and in a way we see it as the beginning of the making of what we know as modern Belize. And we thought it was a symbolic gesture to do that. We will also be declaring St. George’s Caye a historical site.”
Doctor Jaime Awe of the Institute of Archeology says that the event is being held at a meaningful location—within the cemetery.
Jaime Awe, Director, Institute of Archeology
“I feel really at home right now because we archaeologists usually work with a lot of dead people. We decided to use a graveyard because it is one of the few public places that we know for a fact was used way back when the first people settled here in St. George’s Caye. So not just in the memory of the making of Belize, but also in the memory of those people who were buried here who were really important in the formation of our country. You couldn’t have found a better location.”
Duane Moody
“Everyone had this idea that there was only two capitals, the old capital, which is Belize City and Belmopan which is the recent capital. A third capital… explain that to me.”
Jaime Awe
“And the earliest one. This is the oldest one. In fact, before the battle of Saint George’s Caye, the settlers gather here and ratified something that’s called Barnaby’s Code and Barnaby’s Code was the first constitution of this country and that lasted for nearly a hundred years. Those were the rules and laws that governed this early fledgling settlement that eventually became the nation of Belize.”
Chairman of the Community Council of Saint George’s Caye, John Searle Junior, says the proclamation of the caye as a national historical landmark provides recognition for the island.
John Searle Junior, Chair, Community Council, St. George Caye
“It’s very exciting for all the residence and everybody who is associated with St. George’s Caye because we all know that there was some historical importance and a big role played by St. George’s Caye. For it to finally be recognized is exciting for us.”
The island’s residents total to two hundred and fifty persons, who were joined today by high ranking government officials including the Governor General, Sir Colville Young. And after the unveiling of the new September celebrations logo and 2009 playbill, the ceremonies rounded up with a special written musical piece by Frankie Reneau, other Belizean artists and the 2009 Song Competition Winner. Duane Moody reporting for News Five.
