_{Photo: Mayor of Belize City, his worship Bernard Wagner}

by Roy Davis (freelance writer)

BELIZE CITY, Saturday, September 21, 2024

The House of Culture, located on Dame Minita Gordon Drive, was the venue today for a ceremony by the Belize City Council, commemorating the 43rd anniversary of Belize’s independence.

The ceremony began with a musical concert that was followed by a march to the compound by members of the Belize Defence Force and the arrival of the Mayor of Belize City, his worship Bernard Wagner.

Belize’s national anthem was then played by the highly treasured, iconic Imperial Band. Following that there was an inspection of the Guard of Honor and a march-off by members of the Belize Defence Force.

Then there was the invocation by Pastor Edwin Tabora and the welcome address by City Councilor Javier Castellanos.

This was followed by a patriotic performance by singer and musician Jackie Castillo.

Mayor Bernard Wagner then delivered the keynote address.

In his address the mayor said: “Today, as we celebrate the 43rd anniversary of independence, we do so with hearts full of pride and a spirit that shines brightly under our banner: A nation proud and free, Belize @ 43.”

“This is not just a celebration of history, but a celebration of who we are today and what we have the power to become.”

“Every road we build, every business we start, every idea we foster is a step forward in nation building.”

“Under my administration we have already begun laying the foundation for a brighter future.”

“We are also driving the green revolution. We have introduced e-buses and e-taxis, which are tools that will serve to transform the transportation industry, while inching us toward carbon neutrality. In addition, we have implemented a smart on-and-off street parking system that aligns us with sustainable urbanization platform”.

Mayor Wagner said that the Belize City Council has plans to expand the e-mobility project further so that residents of areas such as Port Loyola and Belama will not be left out. The City Council also plans to add electric vehicles to its fleet of work trucks.

With regard to the drainage problem the city is experiencing, Mayor Wagner said: “Our Yarborough pumping station is a multi-million-dollar project that supports our mitigation efforts to reduce flood occurrences. It was recently put to the test, and it produced exceptional results in draining the city within hours of massive downpours”.

Mayor Wagner also spoke about the growing threat of “king flooding” and explained that the City Council, with support from the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, is working with Blue 21, a Dutch company, to conduct a feasibility study to develop a floating boardwalk along the Southern Foreshore waterfront.

“This project will not only provide coastal protection and reduce erosion, but it will also create climate-resilient public space for Belize City – offering new opportunities for small business owners, enhancing waterfront accessibility, and serving as a tourist attraction. This is one of many ways we are striving to build a more resilient and innovative future for Belize City,” said Mayor Wagner.

Following the mayor’s presentation there was a patriotic performance by National Song Contest winner, Wilson Grinage, and the closing address by Councilor Evan Thompson.

After that there was a massive parade whose feature was secondary schools and schools at the tertiary level. Also participating in the almost 2 hours long parade which started off from the House of Culture and culminated at the Berger Field, were several religious groups, who were followed by members of the Lions Club, and then a large energetic crowd of citizens behind a long flatbed truck with music making up the rear end of the parade.