Photo: Drums of Our Fathers

by Khaila Gentle

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Nov. 4, 2022

The first week of November was to have started with a number of planned activities for Belize’s Garifuna community, but due to the passage of Hurricane Lisa, a rare November storm, the events, organized by the National Garifuna Council, had to be postponed.

Those events included the Garifuna Expo, which was scheduled for Friday, November 4, as well as the Solidarity Mass, Miss Garifuna National Pageant, and the Miss Garifuna After Party, which were all scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 5.

The Council made the decision to postpone the events due to the initial forecast that the center of Hurricane Lisa would have made landfall near Dangriga Town.

“All these events are scheduled to take place in Dangriga, which is where Hurricane Lisa is expected to make landfall. As such, it will not be feasible to hold our planned events. Our priority at this time is to ensure preparedness and safety,” stated the Council on Tuesday.

And while the storm made landfall just ten miles south of Belize City, its effects were felt in areas across the country.

The National Garifuna Council has since announced that the Miss Garifuna National Pageant will be taking place on Friday, November 11, at 6:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall.