In 1994, the Kremandala Raiders won their second consecutive semi-pro basketball championship, under the leadership of head coach Marshall Nunez.

It had always been my understanding that local or national sports competitions had as a prominent purpose the identification of those who would be best qualified to represent the nation as players, coaches, and managers in regional and international competitions. 

After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Cuba’s performances on the regional and international sports stage improved noticeably, remarkably even. This was because Fidel Castro got rid of much of the classism, colorism, and racism which had negatively influenced the selection of Cuban national teams under previous regimes.

In both the 1993 and 1994 semi-pro basketball seasons, the Raiders had defeated Crown Stadium, coached by Greg Moguel, in the semifinals, before defeating the Santino’s Hotpoints in the finals. 

The United Democratic Party (UDP) under Dr. Manuel Esquivel had returned to national political power in June of 1993. The one John Saldivar, a relative unknown at the time, was in charge of the Reconstruction & Development Department in Belmopan. My sources were saying to me that Saldivar was in charge of sports under Esquivel, much as the late Hubert Bradley had been Mr. Price’s sports guru, neither Mr. Price nor Mr. Esquivel being any kind of sportsman.

The Belize national basketball team was to participate in the CARICOM basketball tournament in that summer of 1994. It seemed logical that Marshall, having won many high school and junior basketball tournaments in addition to his two semi-pro titles, would be named the head coach of our national basketball selection. Saldivar, however, chose Greg Moguel, the man Marshall had defeated, as head coach.

Now, let me tell you this. I coached senior football teams (Diamond A, Charger) a couple years in the middle 1970s, and a couple senior basketball teams (Island Flyers, Geritol) in the early 1980s. I had some good ideas, but I was not a great coach. Working along with Marshall, I realized that he was a great coach, a truly gifted leader.

He inspired confidence in his players. His body of work entitled him to the position of national basketball coach.
The classist and racist power structure in Belize believes they can discriminate against people like this, and that the masses of the Belizean people are so stupid that they do not see the injustice. The power structure, because they control the media (except for Kremandala), believes they get away unscathed with things like this. 

       
But the masses of our people see through the injustices. Pulu Lighburn almost beat Marshall with Acros Burners in the 1995 season. But then these two worked together to take SanCas UB to the title in 2001. My point is that Marshall is human, but he is great.

Almost fifty years ago, Mayflower Street in the Southside of Belize City was the home of the championship Berger 404 football team. Their rivals on the Northside were the Cinderella Plaza selection, whether it was BEC, Charger, or Belprint. (Respect, the late, great Coro.) We can see that disaster has befallen football in Belize City. Who would have believed this possible back then?

Before Belize joined FIFA after independence in 1981, the best national football selection we ever had was led by Christobal Mayen in 1978. I wonder if Stobal had been as black as Marshall if he would have been accepted by Belize’s power structure the way he was.

In 1997, the UDP was badly beaten in national Town Board elections, so they spent unaudited public funds (some say three quarter million) to build a powerhouse national basketball team for the 1998 CARICOM tournament, which was hosted by Belize. The UDP, advised by Saldivar, spent $50,000 to hire a former Chicago Bull, David Greenwood, as head coach. Belize won the tournament, and everybody was happy. (Except the Belizean voters. The UDP was blown out in August of 1998.)

Now we understand how things work here. When the politicians and the power structure want something in sports, they spend money, and they get results. The talent is here. When they don’t care, the players are treated like dirt.

There is something seriously wrong in this country, and that is why our youth are being lost, have been being lost for the last three decades.

John Saldivar only cared about himself. He ran Belmopan like his personal fiefdom. I was surprised when he lost his seat in 2020. Remember, this man was actually elected UDP leader, until they found out about Lev Durman. In the streets, the words of Peter Tosh ring out: “I don’t want no peace. I want equal rights and justice.”