The Vasquez family continues to mourn the death of their patriarch. Last night we told you that the founder of Tropical Vision Limited, Nestor Vasquez, passed away at the Belize Medical Associates. He will be remembered as a dedicated UDP loyalist, sportsman, father, and friend.
Courtney Menzies spoke with two men who knew him well, and has this story.
Nester Vasquez Sr, the founder and former owner of Tropical Vision Limited (Channel 7), suffered an accident when he fell down a flight of stairs on Sunday afternoon. And while he held on until Monday afternoon, he did so in a coma from which he never woke up.
Vasquez was well known as a pioneer in media in Belize, and a political giant. Even into his elderly years he was a UDP stalwart. Former party leader and Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, explained that he was there from the very start - right up until Vasquez's untimely death.
Rt Hon Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister
"As a friend I can tell you he's the fastest, firmest friend anyone could ever have or ever hope to have, he is absolutely fierce in terms of his loyalty to his friends and he will stand with his friends always, you are Net Vasquez's friend, you could always count on that friendship. In terms of that party, he was of course one of the trustees of the party. He was there right at the start when the liberals and the NIP and the PDM joined together to become the UDP. Net had of course helped to start the liberal party with Mr Esquivel and others, Manuel and others, and when the three parties came together to form the UDP, Net was very much there helping to, as it were, chart the way forward, guide the process, and over importantly, he was a fundraiser, he was a very successful accountant and he had a number of very powerful clients and of course he was able to tap into them for resources to assist the new party. From that time on, throughout, until his death, he continued to be an absolutely unyielding supporter of the United Democratic Party, faithful to a fault and would hear no ill of his party and would do any and everything that he could to advance the fortunes of the party so really a giant in UDP circles, a giant I think in larger Belizean circles, and somebody whose contributions have become legendary, he would of course be absolutely and greatly missed."
The former PM went on the explain his reaction upon hearing the news yesterday afternoon.
Rt Hon Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister
"I was shocked, Net was 89 I believe, but he and I had spoken about a week or so before this terrible accident and in checking up on him, I been pleased to hear him say, No worry braa-in-law, that's how he used to call me, no worry, he said, I noh dih dead now, I noh dih dead now at all. And he went on to say he was moving about freely or easily, that he was driving himself into Belize City from Tropical Park where he had been staying and that generally he was in fine spirits certainly and good physical shape for a man of his age so it was quite a shock to hear that he had that fall with this inevitable - with the consequence that now occurred and it ultimately killed him. It saddened me greatly, I feel the loss acutely, personally, and it's something that would take a great deal of getting used to."
And, outside of political circles, he was also a sportsman, with a love for weightlifting. He had a major hand in organizing many weightlifting and body building competitions over the years. It was this love of the sport that led him to meet Hilberto "Hilly" Martinez.
Hilberto "Hilly" Martinez, Friend
"I was introduced to Mr Net by a very good friend of mine, Mr Mario Mendoza, who was into weightlifting. I can't remember the year but it must have been somewhere around early 70's. And I remember meeting Net, we went to Romero Escalante's house to lift weights. My friend was a weightlifter and afterwards when I got involved with the Olympic association, I found out that Mr Net Vasquez was the chief de mission for the 1968 Olympic games and that was the first games that Belize participated in, first games actually, 1968 in Mexico."
"But Net was very much involved in organizing weightlifting competition and body building competitions at the Bliss Institute."
"My involvement was whenever we needed any assistant for any sporting federation I was involved in, I would always go to him and he was always willing to assist us financially, or moral support or giving us advice, or giving me advice."
And, like the former PM, Martinez was also shocked at Vasquez's unexpected death.
Hilberto "Hilly" Martinez, Friend
"It was so sudden, he wasn't sick. He was a gentleman who was active and it's hard to believe when it happens like that when somebody isn't sick and something happens to them. So I was sad and also called Jules and Jules knew exactly how I felt."
Vasquez was 89 years old. His funeral will be held on Friday.
