Photo: Hon. Luis “Alex” Balona inspecting Guards of Honor

by Orlando Pulido

SAN IGNACIO, Cayo District, Fri. Sept. 22, 2023

The Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena held a successful Independence Day ceremony at the Santa Elena Sports Complex. After the short ceremony, the citizenry participated in the celebrations by parading through the principal streets, ending at Macal Park in San Ignacio Town.

An integral part of the ceremony was the First Infantry Battalion of the Belize Defence Force, led by Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Clifton Williams. The Honorable Luis “Alex” Balona inspected the guard.

Councilor Mathew Preston was the first to speak, saying that “42 years ago Belize emerged as a sovereign and Independent nation.” Preston said that our nation is blessed with natural beauty that binds us as one. He stated that the goal now is to make the Twin Towns the number one tourism destination.

Mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Earl Trapp, Jr., also spoke, saying that “42 years of Independence is a remarkable milestone in nation building … It is a spirit of victory for all Belizeans.” He made mention of the numerous infrastructure projects and the acquisition of funds from the Central Government.

“The economic activity of our community is growing,” he said.

Hon. Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities, reflected that we have witnessed countless examples of “hands united”. The theme for this year is “Hope Ignited; Hands United; Vision Renewed: Belize@42”.

“Let us remember the struggle and sacrifice of those who fought for Independence,” he said.

Queen of the Bay for San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Yamileth Chavez told Amandala on Thursday that she was honored to be celebrating in Belize with many cultures. Her message to the youths of today was that, “We have a lot to give back to our country.”