27.2 C
Belize City
Friday, March 29, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

Photo: Students and staff of Stella Maris...

BPD awards 3 officers with Women Police of the Year

Photo: (l-r) Myrna Pena, Carmella Cacho, and...

Suicide on the rise!

Photo: Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator by Charles...

Lawrence Vernon clarifies Leigh Richardson honour

LettersLawrence Vernon clarifies Leigh Richardson honour
November 1, 2008
 
The Editor Amandala
Sir,
 
Allow me to compliment you on your timely coverage in the Amandala of Leigh Richardson, who so richly deserves the accolades. It also serves to acquaint a younger generation with this aspect of Belize’s political development. 
 
I agree that some recognition, by way of a national award, could have been given to Leigh Richardson before September 2008. A section of the column “From the Publisher” of November 2, 2008, states: “The UDP should have attended to the Leigh Richardson matter, so to speak, from 1984. They chose to honour the man in September this year, when Mr. Leigh was already near to death.” 
 
In an attempt to clarify the matter, let me say that although the UDP did come to power in 1984, the mechanism by which Belize was legally empowered to confer awards did not come about until August 1991 by way of the National Honours and Awards Act. I hasten to concede that perhaps when the UDP returned to power in 1993, Leigh Richardson could have then been considered for an award. It is worthy of note though that, apart from 1991 when the Order of Belize was awarded to Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, awards were only given again from 1999 to date. For whatever reason, the UDP did not confer any awards during its 1993-1998 term of government. 
 
As the Publisher went on to state, “it is better late than never”, and we join with Leigh Richardson’s family in appreciating that the award was conferred before his death.
 
Lawrence Vernon
Chairman
National Honours and Awards Advisory Committee.

Check out our other content

World Down Syndrome Day

Suicide on the rise!

Check out other tags:

International