And after that necessarily grim opening - 25 of the best Belizean patriots were honored.
19 received awards for Meritorious Service, 4 For Order Of Distinction, and Two For Order Of Belize.
Prime Minister Barrow praised them for their steadfast dedication to service:….
PM Dean Barrow
"We tonight are honoring men and women whose selflessness, whose commitment to community and country exemplify the values that all of us must now begin to embrace if we are to turn this thing around. There are I believe 25 honorees this evening. They are a diverse lot, they are an impressive lot."
Diane Haylock
"The honorable Faith Babb, who is being honored for her contribution to the public service. In the political field she
actively participated in fund raising, canvassing, registration of voters and the youth arm of the UDP, the 'Youth Popular Front' and I remember that only too well Faith. Appointed as Justice of the Peace in 1980, she went on to serve as executive member of the National Women's Commission which was instrumental in advocating for the upgrading for the women's bureau to a full department. Mrs. Babb is a few women in Belize who has reach the top of the echelon of the hierarchy of her political party. Faith realize her political aspirations went she was appointed a minister of state in the ministry of human development women's affairs and youth in the 1993 UDP administration. During her term she work to mobilize and financial resources to improve the lives of those she served.
The next order of distinction goes to Mr. Nestor A Vasquez, for his outstanding contribution to the telecommunications industry in Belize. He is currently the executive chairman of the company Mr. Nestor Vasquez.
Dr. Lennox A Pike, for his outstanding contribution to Belize's consular service, medicine and the Belize community in
Detroit Michigan in the United States where he resides. He has many notable accomplishments among them; he is the founder of the Belize Association of Michigan Incorporated and founder of the first steel band in Belize, he is been honored with the Spirit of Detroit Award and as citizen of the year from the West American Association among others. He was very recently awarded the title of Fellow of the American College of Cardiology Dr. Lennox A Pike.
Second Order of Belize goes to the late Hon. Curl Osmond Thompson. And his daughter Hilda; my good friend will be receiving this award. He went on to be the elected the area representative of the Mesopotamia division in 1979 and became the Deputy Prime Minister in the first UDP administration 1984- 1989."
The full list of honorees appears below.
Order of Belize
Dr. Lennox A. Pike
Hon. Curl Osmond Thompson(posthumously)
Order of Distinction
Hon. Faith Babb
Mr. Nestor A. Vasquez
Mrs. Floss Cassasola(posthumously)
Mr. Terence Leo Keating(posthumously)
Meritorious Service Award - Male
Mr. Edison Staine
Mr. Delhart L. Courtney, Sr.
Mr. Theodore "Ted" Burrowes,
Mr. Owen "Sonny" Meighan
Mr. Bonifacio Moh
Mr. Bartolome Rodriguez, Sr.
Mr. Evert Coe Mr. Bedford Richie
Mr. Walter Panting, JP
Mr. Salvador "Jorge" Iglesias
Meritorious Service Award - Female
Mrs. Alberta Cano
Ms. Barbara Harris
Ms. Myrna Manzanares
Ms. Sonia Lenares
Ms. Andrea Gabriel
Mrs. Olga Myers
Ms. Rose Armstrong
Mrs. Velda M. Aguet, MBE, JP
Ms. Melba Nora Bodden