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November 2nd, 2022, will be marked in Belizean's minds for many years to come after Hurricane Lisa made its way to the Jewel leaving devastation and mayhem in Belize City and among its residents. The silver lining is that there were no loss of lives and while there is still so much work to do in rebuilding, a life cannot be replaced and for this we are blessed and grateful.
If one had any doubt about what a Belizean is made of, now there is no doubt. It was magnificent to witness how the spirit, the grit and the determination of Belizeans shone through during these difficult days.
Thousands of Belizeans lost their homes and were displaced, many of who still are, but they rally on. It also helped that the basic necessities, like electricity, were restored in warp speed.
One case will forever be etched in my memory – seeing pictures of how the elderly residents at the Sister Cecilia Home of Help Age in Belize City lost their entire roof while they were inside during the storm. But they were not alone, accompanied by the supervisor and staff who voluntarily stayed to help, they all braved the entire frightening ordeal. This heroic and selfless act on the part of the supervisor and staff, who risked their lives to protect the elderly, must be praised and commended for their bravery. These are the silent heroes who quietly live amongst us, rising to face unknown dangers on our behalf.
And while the residents had to all huddle in the dining room for a few days after the storm, it wasn’t long when members of the community and the Rotary Club of Belize thankfully worked together to replace the blown away roof with a brand new one. We will all grow old one day and we too will want to have our dignities upheld and protected by society and have caregivers who truly care. We applaud the efforts of Help Age in providing this much needed care to one of the most vulnerable in our society.
And so, it is very apt to give thanks this thanksgiving month to all those Belizeans and friends of Belize who stepped up to the plate, who gave selflessly of their valuable time and their money to bring the Jewel back to the shining city it is and can be even more.
The Belizean diaspora in the United States also joined forces through the various Belizean Associations and through Build Belize, they were key in giving thousands of dollars in aid and supplies for Belize.
We also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Marlon Hill, Esq. for his efforts in helping coordinate donations to Belize through GEM - Global Empowerment Mission. The GEM LATAM team responded in Belize and Guatemala within 48 hours of Hurricane Lisa’s landfall and brought in many volunteers in South Florida, dedicating an entire day to join the cause and assist with packing and preparing donations for shipment to Belize.
On the diplomatic front, Belize’s friends and allies also have assisted with monetary donations and supplies which will go a long way in the long-term recovery of the city.
The Consulate of Belize in Florida is very proud to have collaborated with the Caribbean Consular Corp. in Miami, Florida in receiving a handsome donation of $100,000 USD from Norwegian Cruise lines for the hurricane relief and recovery efforts by the Government of Belize. Words cannot express our gratitude to Norwegian Cruise Lines who pledged this donation just days after Hurricane Lisa hit Belize. I am also very thankful to the Caribbean Consular Corp for the continued close partnership we share with them in Florida.
Down South, Belizeans commemorated a very important day, the Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19th. Belize is proud to have such a rich history, and these celebrations are a testament to that. To learn more about the Garifuna people and their past, we included a section that provides some historical context about their arrival to Belize and the meaning of this special holiday. And to celebrate, we dedicated our street food series and recipe of the month to delicious Garifuna recipes, make sure to check out our tasty recipes for Sere and Cassava Pudding!
Other holidays that were celebrated this month included Men’s Day and Children’s Day. Men are an integral part of our society -fathers, sons, brothers, and uncles who play an important role in the family unit so let us celebrate our men!
A well functioning society needs its men, so let us nurture and strengthen our boys who will one day be men. In doing so, they may become loving fathers and gentlemen who respect and love their wives, providing for their families and lead when they must. We all have a wonderful male figure in our families whom we admire. They too must be celebrated and encouraged. Statistics show that a father plays a pivotal role in the healthy development and growth of the children.
In celebration of Children’s Day, November 18th, Special Envoy for children and families Her Excellency Mrs. Rossana Briceño hosted the third children’s parliament and shared a special message reflecting on their needs and creating a better future for each of them. Mrs. Briceño also remained active in the community by thanking donors who assisted 170 families following Hurricane Lisa and raising awareness of gender-based violence.
On November 25th, Belize started its 16 days of gender violence awareness. As stated by the United Nations, this is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. Keeping this in mind, let us not limit ourselves to 16 days of activism, but instead aim for 365 days of awareness and action to ensure that we create a safer society for everyone. There must be zero tolerance of abuse of any kind to any woman, man or child.
On the diplomatic front in Belize, CEO Ambassador Amalia Mai co-chaired the United Nations' first joint steering commission to discuss a four-year sustainability Cooperation Framework. While Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, traveled to South America for an OAS meeting in Peru to provide support and cooperation at the request of the Peruvian government, and accompanied Prime Minister Hon. John Briceno on his trip to Venezuela for bilateral talks with President Nicolas Maduro. We provided more detailed information under our MFA section, as well as how the outcomes of these meetings will benefit Belize.
In spite of the hurdles and delays of the storm, the work of the country continued. In the section, GOB Movers and Shakers, read how each ministry is making progress in addressing issues and opportunities in each industry, as well as the impact they are having on Belize's development. We invite you to read about the increase in Belize’s minimum wage, new feeding programs, and projects being created in the sustainability and creative sectors.
It is the norm to choose one person as Star of the Month, however this month, we discovered many Belizean stars who worked tirelessly to rebuild Belize after Hurricane Lisa, and so we salute and name them all Stars of the Month!
I invite you to read Ambassador Lynn Young's message under Ambassador's Desk to learn more about a special volunteer in Washington D.C. and how she is helping her community back home and inspiring others to do the same.
Additionally, we shared news about the Prime Minister's meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and their Petro Caribe Agreement as well as Marie Sharp’s feature in Forbes Magazine, one of the top business magazines in the world! This is huge for Belize!
#belizeansdogreatthings
Other exciting news included the EntreCon Awards with Beltraide, Caye Caulker's new health center, scholarship opportunities for Belizeans around the world, and much more. We hope you enjoy!
Due to Hurricane Lisa, unfortunately, the Department of Immigration has informed us that there is a delay with the start of the new electronic passport system originally scheduled to commence December 2022. It is estimated that the new date will now be February 2023. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and thank you for your continued patience.
The Consulate of Belize in Florida has compiled a wait-list of applicants who are in need of passport renewals. Once we have the software installed in our office, we will communicate it with you and begin scheduling appointments. Kindly note that the first appointments will be made for callers on the waitlist. If you would like to be added, please call our office at (305) 755-0276 so we can enter your contact information and schedule an appointment for you as soon as there is availability.
Here at the Consulate, we continue to work diligently in updating our database by calling members of the Belizean Diaspora and asking for their most recent contact information. This is to ensure we are able to share upcoming events, new services, and business opportunities in a timely manner. We appreciate your cooperation and support in sharing your contact information. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Through these calls, we are also working on compiling a Belizean Business Directory. Our goal with this directory is to share information about Belizean-owned businesses and help them gain more exposure within communities throughout the U.S. If you are a business owner and would like your company to be shared in our social platforms, I invite you to send us an email or give us a call to our office phone numbers, this information can be found on our website https://www.belizeconsulatefla.com/ .
To be sure you are included in the monthly newsletter distribution, you can also send us a quick email with your email address and phone number at miami.reception@mfa.gov.bz.
Enjoy and share with your friends.
And remember, it is good to be Belizean!
#rememberitsgoodtobebelizean #thewaitisover #staysafe
All my best,
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