BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 4, 2021– The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology has appointed a new board of directors for the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH). In a press release dated February 1, 2020, it was announced that six new board members had been awarded a two-year term with NICH.

Among the newly appointed board members is Arreini Palacio Morgan, who is also the executive director of the Southern Environmental Association (SEA). Local businessman Carlo Habet was second to be listed as a new NICH board member. Habet is also a board member at the National Bank of Belize. Gavin Courtenay, who is an associate at Courtenay Coye LLP and is the son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Eamon Courtenay, has also been named a member of the board.

Additionally, Mr. Albert Vaughan, who has served on the Belize City Council since 2018 and will be seeking re-election, has also been named as a board member. The list of new NICH board members also includes Merilyn Young, who served as the campaign manager for the Minister of Culture — Freetown area representative Hon. Francis Fonseca; and Michael Coye, sitting member on the board of trustees for the Social Security Board and chief financial officer of the Belize Bank.

At the conclusion of the Ministry of Culture’s statement, it expressed confidence that the new board members will lead NICH through the current “challenging financial period” they are facing due to the pandemic and will carry out the mandates of the Ministry.