Newly renovated library inaugurated at the Anglican Cathedral College

The Anglican Cathedral College is boasting a newly renovated library through collaborative efforts with the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust. The students and staff of the ACC joined in the celebration as did the Minister of Education, who said he’d still be in the classroom if he weren’t a politician. Duane Moody was also on hand for the ceremony.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Hundreds of students at the Anglican Cathedral College will now have access to a newly renovated and fully furnished library at the compound on Albert Street. According to Ismael Requena, Principal of A.C.C., since his nine years as principal and twenty plus years working at the high school, his dream for a library has finally become a reality.

Ismael Requena

Ismael Requena, Principal, Anglican Cathedral College

“We must live to what our jingle postulates; which our jingle is, “spotlight on excellence.” That spotlight is on the excellence which you will become and yes ACC is a great place to learn.  Let us put god in our lives; let’s spend quality hours in this library and yes let’s cherish our families especially during this season of Christmas. I also want to say this morning students that only you can take care of that library. We need to keep it so that for years to come, other people will have good use of it. The community can have good use of it but we need to take good care of it.”

Daniel Gutierrez, Chairman, BNE Charitable Trust

“The transfer of knowledge to our children is more important than all the mineral wealth that Belize can ever find. So use the library but take care of it. While it is in your care, it serves the collective future of many; it inspires our youth to greatness.”

In mid-October, the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust, under the chair of Daniel Gutierrez, provided the grant of fifty-four thousand dollars to A.C.C. to fund the much need renovations and to establish a fully functional library. Gutierrez says that the collaborative effort is uniquely Belizean.

Daniel Gutierrez

Daniel Gutierrez

“While clearly the revenues that developed this project come from oil and gas, the concept that brought this partnership together is uniquely Belizean—one that we can be very proud of. Although many people in many different places are looking to develop partnership modeled on the work that the Government of Belize and Belize Natural Energy have done, I can tell you with certainty that the way BNE limited and our government has partnered to build schools, build libraries, provide student loans, support teacher education, build parks and playgrounds, build infrastructure for the elderly, provide solar power for half-grade schools—among many other projects—leads the way for corporate social responsibility. And it is a real partnership between public and private interests and for that we can all hold our heads very high.”

Former Vice-Principal and now Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, was the guest speaker at the inaugural ceremony. Faber says that if it were not for his political career, he would have maintained his employment with the school.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“It has always been a struggle to have a library here at A.C.C. In fact when I started teaching here, the library was in a wooden building that is where your computer lab building is now and there was a terrible problem with woodlice that kept on destroying the books.  I was very pleased a few weeks ago when I visited with Mister Requena and he gave me a tour along with Mister Noralez, the spot that would become the new library. I have not seen the finished product, but I know from what I saw from that day, it was quality workmanship going into that project. The only reason that I am still not working at the Anglican Cathedral College, I can tell you, is because of this position that I’m now holding as Minister of Education; where I feel that I am able to make a greater impact on the lives of young people and more importantly on the development of Belize. But there is no other job that would have taken me away from the walls or the gates of the Anglican Cathedral College.”

The library was blessed by the Right Reverend Bishop Phillip Wright. There were several musical and poetic performances from the students. Duane Moody for News Five.