And as we mentioned, the PM didn't stick around for the parade. Instead, if our read on his timing is correct - he hopped on a plane heading for San Pedro Town for the reopening of the new "My Lights" branch.
My Lights is an electronics store where customers can find just about any lighting fixture and other household items - along with a variety of curious gadgets. And on Saturday, they officially opened their new doors after a brief ribbon cutting ceremony, in which the PM was the star guest.
Courtney Menzies was there and has this story.
Since My Lights was first established, they've emerged as a lighting emporium - a kind of wonderland of everything from chandeliers, to desk lamps, to led lights, and and even electronic curiosities.
And on Saturday, their latest venture was relocating their San Pedro branch from the town to across the bridge, over on northern Ambergris Caye.
The owner, Sanju Chulani explained that the reason is because they needed a larger space to display the extravagance of electronics:
Sanju Chulani, Owner, My Lights
"We did exist in San Pedro from 2021 but we were in a very small location located on Pescador Drive, very small, and we couldn't display most of our items and so we got the opportunity from the owners of Captain Morgan to do this joint venture with us in building the store over here and so that's why we came on the north side and we know that San Pedro is growing more on the north and so we want to be the first out here."
"I want to catch the whole family out here, you see when somebody comes to buy lights, they come with their kids and their wives too so I want to catch the whole family, so lights, and then you have the little toys for the kids, and then other house items."
Courtney Menzies:
"But for right now, a lot of the locals are still in town and it cost a lot of money to get here, do you feel like you'll still reach the same amount of customers?"
Sanju Chulani, Owner, My Lights
"Well yes I would say because of my price and they will save that money if they come to me than if they buy it in town so they get compensated by coming this far and saving their money and seeing something that the town doesn't have to offer. We have something different, everything different, I don't think San Pedro has so many items in one store and with these prices."
And according to Chulani, the one thing that sets My Lights apart from all the other establishments on the island - and at their other two branches - is their solar stock.
Sanju Chulani, Owner, My Lights
"The idea is to get more types of lights, different types of lights and solar equipment, we do have solar equipment, we have solar batteries, we have solar water heaters, solar water pump, solar generators, solar fans, solar lights, solar speakers, so it doesn't end. And I didn't see that in San Pedro, so we started with Belize City and then we're trying to grow."
And it's this large array of solar equipment that enticed even the prime minister to fly out to San Pedro for the grand opening.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I think there are several reasons, the first one is that Mr Sanju and his family, we're personal friends and when he invited me to come I felt it was an honor to be able to come here but also I love the idea behind this business, where they are trying to promote more renewable sources to energy, solar lighting, especially in the island of San Pedro where the protection of our natural resources are of paramount importance, I think it brings across the right message that we're moving away from diesel fuel to more renewable source of energy and in this case it is solar so I felt it was important to come and show my support to My Lights."
Courtney Menzies:
"In Belize we have a major trade imbalance where we import more than we export and My Lights, they sell imported goods and you're here supporting this enterprise."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"But of course, we know that we have a major trade imbalance and that's one of the things we mention in PlanBelize, that we want to be able to reduce the trade imbalance by 50% in ten years. We're approximately at a billion dollars trade imbalance but when you promote solar lights, what you're doing then, you're using less diesel because as it is right now we need diesel to be able to run the generators so we are helping to reduce the trade balance but also by having all of these services here in the island then it make it easier for the islanders, for the San Pedranos, and tourists to be able to not have to get on a boat or get on a plane to be able to go to Belize City to get the items that they need."
My Lights opened its first branch in Belize City back in November 2020, and then opened another branch in Corozal last year.
