Our country of Belize has lost a dedicated police officer, soldier, citizen and friend. I attended Sacred Heart Primary School and Austin High with him. He joined the police force in 1972 and graduated from Squad-20 and was sent to Orange Walk. I joined one year after he did and was later sent to Orange Walk as well.
Upon my arrival there, we revived football in that town in 1974 together, by starting a team by the name of Caribbean Eleven, which was sponsored by the Cuello brothers.
This led to the formation of several other teams throughout the town and the villages and a football competition that was promoted by Joe Briceño, the area representative, and a committee that was chaired by the late Mr. Ramon Cervantes, Sr.
Orange Walk Town was able to organize one of the most powerful inter-district teams, which defeated and knocked out All Belize, the reigning national champions, in their first game at MCC Grounds. We were later defeated in the finals by the Dangriga Queen’s Park Rangers in 1975 and 1976 for the national titles.
When the Belize Police Boys Club was proposed by the then Commissioner of Police,
Esmond Willoughby, it was P.C. 308 Daniel Cacho and myself, that took it to a professional level by designing a complete uniform for the Orange Walk branch.
The Commissioner then recommended that other districts use the same design that we chose. Cacho later left the Belize Police Department to join the Belize Defence Force, where he became a Drill Instructor and fell in love with that duty.
He returned to the Police Department in that same capacity and was promoted to the rank of Inspector. Even after he retired, he was still a Drill Instructor at the Police Training Academy. Being a Drill Instructor was his passion, along with sports, music and having fun.
These were the things that Daniel Cacho liked the most.
He was never angry, always positive, upbeat, and believed that any and everything is possible. He motivated the people around him who were not motivated.
Daniel Cacho has done his part to help build our country of Belize, and we will miss this patriotic citizen of our country dearly. He loved his country more than his country loved him.
Rest In Peace, my friend,
Wellington C. Ramos
Former police officer and Inter-district football player