BELIZE CITY, Mon. Nov. 22, 2021 — On Monday, November 22, the Governor General of Belize, Her Excellency Froyla Tzalam, was officially sworn in as the new Scout Patron for the Scout Association of Belize at the association’s headquarters. Her first order of business was to appoint Dr. Dr. Erasmo Franklin as the interim Chief Scout. The Chief Scout position was notably held by Major Eric Neal, former aide-de-camp, who passed away in September after falling ill. The position has been vacant since that time.

Article 4 of the Scout Association of Belize’s Constitution stipulates that the Governor General shall be the Scout Patron, unless he or she defers the position to another person to serve in his or her place or if the Governor General declines the position. The position was thus previously held by the former Governor General of Belize, H.E. Sir Colville Young, until he retired from that post — thus passing on the position to H.E. Froyla Tzalam, whose term as Scout Patron will continue until her term as the Governor General of Belize comes to an end.

H.E. Tzalam is now tasked with guiding and shaping the future of the Scout Association of Belize. The Scout Association of Belize was instituted in 1987 after the country gained its independence and succeeded the former Scout Association of the United Kingdom’s Belize branch. It is part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

In a prior release from the Scouts Association of Belize, the organization stated, “It is with sincere gratitude that the National Scout Assembly & General Members of the Association welcome and congratulate our New Patron, Her Excellency Froyla Tzalam — Governor-General of Belize!”