BELIZEAN HISTORY BY MR. HECTOR SILVA -PART II

BELIZEAN HISTORY BY MR. HECTOR SILVA -PART II

AND NOW CAME THE MOMENT OF DECISION - - Do we continue living under a dark status quo or DE WE CHANGE IT.- .

Because Belizeans were fed,up and tired of .suffering the hardships in a BACKWARD COLONY,, Trade Unions Leaders began to make noise, against continued SLAVERY, ( even though it was said that it was abolished in1834- - - There were those old Union Leaders like Tony Soberanis,- - Lahoody,- -Bangular Barnnet,- -Clifford Betson -Henry Middleton,- Lucas Marin,and young Nicolas Pollard - - who TEAMED UP with the young "PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE", led by those FIVE NATIONAL Freedom Fighters and today's HEROES,- - George Cadle Price, - - Phillip Wilberforce Goldson, -- John Smith, - - Leigh Richardson and Nicolas Pollard.the youngest at age 26.

BUT BEFORE ENTERING ON THE REAL STRUGGLE ,
Let us describe what life was, before the Peaceful and Constructive Belizean Revolution.-
We will divide this TIME LINE, into three ERAS.
(1) - The DARK ERA was life before 1950. (Fully governed under an absentee Colonial Office ( and a semi slave system )
(2) - THE GREY ERA was that period between 1950 and 1963,when the People's Movement faced many TRIALS and TRIBULATIONS.
Some leaders deffected, others were intimidated or oppressed and few were tried in Court.
(3) - THE BRIGHT ERA was, when Belizean Leaders were given the opportunity to govern the country INTERNALLY. -

BUT LET US FIRST REVIEW WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN BRITISH HONDURAS before 1950.
.
IN 1964, ENGLAND GRANTED BELIZE FULL INTERNAL SELF GOVERNMENT. ( here I call the attention of those Political fanatics, who have been led to believe, that development in Belize was served in a SILVER PLATTER. - - Here it goes as clear as possible and there are many people who can attest to these facts )

DARK AGES BELIZEANS -(or British Hondurans) were a mere STATISTIC ,being supported by a NUMBERED PASSPORT WHICH DESCRIBED US AS BRITISH SUBJECTS. - ( yes you heard me, SUBJECTS )

IN THAT DARK ERA, British Honduras (Belize) was a territory solely for the EXTRACTION OF Logwood,- Mahogany and Chicle Gum. - a litlle of Sponge.- Coconuts, fishing and little farming.-
ALL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES were, for the benefit of Foreign Companies.- -The REMNANTS were shared among the Contractors and then Merchants -- -The CRUMBS went to the poor workers. and to those at POOR HOUSE,- MENTAL ASSYLUM -and PRISON

LIFE IN THOSE DAYS.IN THE DARK ERA.
(a) - Only Belize City had DC Electric Current (No Alternate current )
THE DISTRICTS had to use Kerosene lanterns for the Main Towns.

(b) - Only Belize City had a water supply through WELLS in the City and Rain water from some large IRON VATS, and later the Famous YELLOW VATS. - - In the early 1950's, Stand Pipes were installed.

(c) - Only Belize City had four High Schools ( St John College, - St Michaels College, - Wesley College - and for girls St Hilda's College and St.Catherine's Academy- ( Pallotti High was not yet established.
THE DISTRICTS HAD NO HIGH SCHOOL. - Only Primary schools.

(d) - The Only trafficable roads were from.- Belize City to Cotozal, - to Burrel Boom and little spurs here and there.
DISTRICTS HAD NO ROADS only piccadoes,- Transport was only by WATER ( Sea.- River, some creeks or Lagoon)Imagine in those Imagine in those days we only tasted ONE apple for Christmas.

BELIZEAN HISTORY BY MR. HECTOR SILVA -PART I

BELIZEAN HISTORY AS TOLD TO MR HECTOR SILVA OF BELIZE BY HIS FATHER IN LAW

The SAD story began in 1919, when the Belize Contingent of brave men returned from World War I.- They were BATTLE WEARY but
filled with promises of thankful rewards for their bravery in rendering their services for the FREEDOM OF THE WORLD.

These hundreds of young Belizean soldiers ,left in 1914 and were taken to the Battle Grounds in MESOPOTAMIA. ( today's IRAC ).

ONCE BACK HOME IN BELIZE. all promises and hopes melted with the sun.
They were offered pieces of the swamps around Belize, City, which they could not reclaim.
They were given day work jobs, breaking stones to build the Maskall Road.( 25cebts a day )

THIS RESULTED IN ONE OF BELIZE'S BIGGEST RIOTS against the Colonial Administration. - - England sent a War Ship with British soldiers to quell the unarmed men. - - - ( Were these men armed, , it would have been a different story )
THE RESULT OF THIS TREATMENT WAS THE COMPOSITION, BY HERO, SAMUEL HAYNES of Land of the Free, ( now our Anthem )
This was the beginning of that AWAKENING CALL by Belizeans..

THE SECOND CALL FOR JUSTICE.
During those early days, men served as Tools of Production. They served almost as BEASTS OF BURDEN. -( they worked under that YOKE almost equal to SLAVERY. )
Slaves were given Food and Shelter and medication, but the NEW SLAVES had to provide every need for themselves,( As a young boy at my fathers Farm , i saw the conditions under which Chicleros and Mahogany workers were hired, to go to the jungle for six months and not being able to return home to see their families. - - THE EVIL WHISTLE BLOWERS ( Chismosos - Lambiscones would notify the Police, who would come and arrest them. - YES THIS IS THE LIVING TRUTH.

IN VIEW OF ALL THESE INJUSTICES AND MORE,
In 1934, Belizean Hero, Antonio Soberanis Gomez rose up in anger to defend these poor workers.
In early 1934. Govern John Burdon ( in whose name the Burden Canal was named ) --REFUSED to approve Labor :Laws to protect the workers against ABUSE.
SO, Tony Soberanis, assisted by other brave ,decided to organize the WORKERS of Belize.
ON OCTOBER 1st, 1934, Tony Soberanis organized a PROTEST PICKET against tjhe Belize Estate Saw Mill, asking for more pay. The PICKET turned out into a RIOT,- A workers was shot in the neck.
When Soberanis went to post Bail for rioters arrested, he himself was arrested and refused for ONE MONTH.

THIS OPENED THE DOORS FOR THE FORMATION OF THE MOVEMENT FOR BELIZE'S INDEPENDENCE, in 1950.

RESPECT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT MUST ALWAYS COME FIRST

I am one of the founders of SUPERMAMA, Brenda Ysaguirre Organization and as such I stand for the Rights of Women and Children. I stand against anyone who will abuse, use and misuse WOMEN and CHILDREN. I believe in the truth and in speaking out my mind. I stand for transparency and for the right to life and the right to live. I believe we should never ignore what is true and we should try to educate ourselves a little bit more each day.

I have been a mother, Administrative Officer, Educator, Director and am now a happy GRANDMOTHER! Anyone who tries to hurt my grandchildren have to kill me first. So beware!

Freedom of speech is one of the most valuable rights we have today in most countries of the world.

I believe we should have values of RESPECT, LOVE AND HONESTY if we want to be great examples for our children and grandchildren.

I thank all those who have fought for the freedom we have today.

I admire all you seek a better life for their children and their children's children.

I DO NOT care what the colour of your skin is. I am thankful to have grown up in a melting pot country where everyone has a chance to be successful and happy.

GOD IS MY KING AND MY SAVIOUR. I AM THE DAUGHTER A THE GREATEST LEADER EVER.

I HAVE TIES TO BELIZE, MEXICO, ENGLAND, PORTUGAL AND SPAIN.

I SPEAK TWO LANGUAGES FLUENTLY AND TWO MORE NOT SO FLUENTLY. AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY BELIZEAN CREOLE!

I hope America and move on and give their new President a chance to show what he can do. If he succeeds then it is all good. If he fails then at least we know it was not possible.

Life will continue and we all have to work, eat, sleep, and be thankful for life on a whole.

#supermamaforrespectforwomen

HILLARY CLINTON'S CONCESSION SPEECH

Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.

This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I’m sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together –- this vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love -- and about building an America that’s hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.

We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America –- and I always will. And if you do, too, then we must accept this result -– and then look to the future.

Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things –- the rule of law, the principle that we’re all equal in rights and dignity, and the freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these things too -- and we must defend them.

And let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let’s do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold anyone back from achieving their dreams.

We’ve spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American Dream is big enough for everyone -- for people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities.

Our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek. And I know you will.

I am so grateful to stand with all of you.

I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey. It gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front-lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in the Senate.

To Barack and Michelle Obama: Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude for your graceful, determined leadership, and so do I.

To Bill, Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers, and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.

You crisscrossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most –- even four-month old Aidan traveling with his mom.

I will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country who poured their hearts into this campaign. For you veterans, this was a campaign after a campaign -- for some of you, this was your first campaign ever. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anyone has had.

To all the volunteers, community leaders, activists, and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, posted on Facebook - even in secret or in private: Thank you.

To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going, thank you.

And to all the young people in particular, I want you to hear this. I’ve spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I’ve had successes and I’ve had setbacks -– sometimes really painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your careers. You will have successes and setbacks, too.

This loss hurts. But please, please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It’s always worth it. And we need you keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.

To all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.

I know that we still have not shattered that highest glass ceiling. But some day someone will -– hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

And to all the little girls watching right now, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world.

Finally, I am grateful to our country for all it has given me.

I count my blessings every day that I am an American. And I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together, with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions, and love for this nation -– our best days are still ahead of us.

You know I believe we are stronger together and will go forward together. And you should never be sorry that you fought for that.

Scripture tells us: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”

My friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.

I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

LET US LEARN TO SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT

I really don't know how we got here but if you really look back on the last few weeks, the power of the FBI seem to have come between ignorance and stupidity.

So here we are now and here we will remain. To fight the battle even though the war was lost. We must now rebuild what we hold dear for the children who will inherit this beautiful country.

As women we have a lot to do with what happens next. We must learn to speak up for what is right and against those who seek to hurt us and our loved ones. Let us learn from these past few months. Do not hide the abuse. Speak up and denounce it as soon as it happens. Say no to abuse and when possible have evidence to back it up.

NO ONE MORE LIFE SHOULD BE MOCKED LIKE SO MANY HAVE BEEN ON THIS DAY.

Is the Government of Belize replacing STRIKING TEACHERS?

CUT cuts in and calls on the Government of Belize

THE TEACHERS OF BELIZE MAY BE ON STRIKE BUT THEY ARE STILL DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE

They may be on strike but the teachers are still showing love for their country!!



COROZAL METHODIST SCHOOL TEACHERS AT WHAT teacher Marie Smith describes as "It was an afternoon well spent with the elderly... we sang, danced, prayed, played games and share the love. God bless the elderly." October 11, 2016

They also held a vigil!

The vigil was very moving and as Yvette Sanker Riverol who shared these photos said, "Today's candlelight vigil and ecumenical service was especially moving for many of us who were in attendance. Belize is filled with wonderful people and God will continue to bless and guide us. I keep feeling repeated emotions, close to crying when I reflect on the significance of the movement to our country's state and future. I am lucky to live in Corozal, a beautiful town with amazingly supportive people, who render love & support because they can tell when something is just...we are one people, sharing one country we all love! Thank you Corozal! " 

Minerva Pinelo stated on her Facebook page: The TEACHERS STRIKE is for the CHILDREN because:

The PM alone will not determine the morality of the Belize my kids will live in.

I refuse to have my children pay exorbitant taxes in their generation because my generation was silent about corrupt politicians that squandered away the public coffers.

The prosperity of my children will be based upon the work of their hands and ingenuity of their minds, and not by which politician they support.

My children will never stand in line to receive a handout at a constituency office.

My kids application for land will not stay at the bottom of the heap because they did not show visible support for a politician.

My grandkids will get a scholarship based on their academic performance and not because of their last name or the party their parents voted for.

My kids will be able to enter the profession of their choice, by their own volition and not because they have the signature of a caretaker on the application form.

My kids must be able to speak their minds about national issues without fearing that a politician or their minions will make their life miserable or make them lose their job.

My child will not be afraid of politicans in power: whether they voted for them or not.

My child will be promoted based on their intellect, experience, and performance on the job. .. and not based upon boot picking and brown-nosing

My child will be protected by Whistle blower legislation so if he witnesses some corrupt act he will be able to report it without fear or harassment or loss of job.

When the police knock on my child's door, my child can open it in peace because he knows it's a good cop who will act within the scope of the law.

When there is a crime my child will be rest assured that the chances of catching the perpetrator is above 70% and not at 5% as it now remains.

My children will witness the first set of politicans thrown in jail for corrupt practices.

My kids will be able to like a post when they agree without worrying who will inbox them about it.

#IWANTMYCOUNTRYBACK 

Meanwhile in the Belize District

 The Belize Branch teachers were out helping and informing the public. Photos by Ruby Pena.

I WAS A TEACHER FOR OVER 17 YEARS AND TODAY I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BELIZEAN TEACHERS KNOWING THAT THEIR CAUSE IS SOLID AND TRUE. GOD BLESS THEM ALL AS THEY JOIN HANDS FOR BELIZE.

And the vigil in the Belize Branch:





photos courtesy of Ruby Pena.

<3O

THE COROZAL INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE.... LONG LIVE BELIZE

Picture courtesy of Julie Gomez



Cadet Pictures courtesy of Julie Gomez



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan



picture courtesy of Nay Moreno Rancharan

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, BELIZE

TODAY IS THE 35TH BIRTHDAY OF THE YOUNG NATION OF BELIZE IN CENTRAL AMERICA. AMIDST A TEACHERS DEMONSTRATION ON MONDAY, A CARNIVAL ON THE WEEKEND BEFORE IN THE CITY OF BELIZE AND CARNIVALS IN ALL DISTRICT TOWNS THE TRUE BELIZEAN SPIRIT COULD BE FELT.

HERE ARE A FEW PICTURE OF COROZAL CARNIVAL  from Grace Akierman,

BELIZEAN TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE IN BELMOPAN PART 5 A FEW ,MORE PICTURES AND LIST OF DEMANDS MADE TO THE GOB BY TEACHERS

AND THE REASON THE TEACHERS DEMONSTRATED CALLED FOR THESE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN BY THE GOB:

BELIZEAN TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE IN BELMOPAN PART 4 - PICTURES OF DEMONSTRATORS and THE POLICE

WITH THE SLOOGAN "TEECHAZ GAT YUH BAK" THE TEACHERS OF BELIZE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BELIZE NATIONAL TEACHERS UNION WENT TO BELMOPAN TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE ON SEPT 19, 2016.

BELIZEAN TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE IN BELMOPAN PART 3 - PICTURES OF DEMONSTRATORS and THE POLICE GUARDING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING

WHEN THE BELIZEAN TEACHERS WENT TO BELMOPAN TO DEMONSTRATE THE POLICE FORCE PRESENCE WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER.

BELIZEAN TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE IN BELMOPAN PART 2 - PICTURES OF DEMONSTRATORS

On Monday, September 19, 2016  The BNTU, Belize National Teachers Union converged in Belmopan to demonstrate their frustration at the Government of Belize for failing to keep their promise once more in the History of this young nation.

It may be remembered that just a few months before in 2015 the Government of Dean Barrow had won yet another term in office. It seems that like politicians are known to do, this Government has now turned their back on their voters.  Hopefully, sooner or later the Prime Minister of Belize will see it fit to make good his promise. Sadly, life will continue until NEXT ELECTION.