There's a lot to report on tonight, especially as it relates to your continued safety during the September celebrations. But first, to the issue that's most perplexing parents of high-schoolers tonight: the 21st September official parade – how safe will it be? That's the question that the National Association of Principals for Secondary Schools in Belize City met to discuss this morning. It was agreed that while all high schools will have representation, do not expect to see entire student bodies on that day as you normally do.
As a safety precaution, schools are cutting back on the number of students that will march. According to Salome Tillett the principal of St. Catherine's Academy and the Vice President of the Principals Association, they are also asking for increased security and a change in the route of the parade. Following the association's meeting, Tillett spoke with our Jacqueline Godwin.
Salome Tillett, Vice-President – Principal's Association
"We were concerned like the parents are about safety of our students. We're also concerned about the issue of patriotism and how our participation in the parade reflects that and the decision was that most principals felt comfortable considering that most felt that the Tenth parade, that the evidence of police presence was very strong, very notable; the ones who participated felt safe. They believe that if the parents are willing to send their students out, that each secondary school can have a representation of 150 students at maximum as a part of the parade with the hope of making the end safer, which is where we tend to have problems when students are waiting for their parents. We will ask students to wait for their parents inside the compound at either ACC or Wesley College.
We've also decided to ask the committee, the logistics committee of the September Celebrations Committee, to change the route of the parade. We ask them to avoid areas that have been troublesome areas for schools normally."
Jacqueline Godwin,
Has this new route been agreed to?
Salome Tillett,
"No. We proposed that to them this morning and we will await to hear from them."
Jacqueline Godwin,
And if they do not agree?
Salome Tillett,
"Then I believe the principals will have to discuss again what will be the alternatives there. We know for certain that we cannot force parents to send their students. It is the parents' decision if they choose to send their daughters out. So normally for instance SCA would send out 500 students, almost our entire student body, and as an association we agreed this year that no school should send more than 150 students, be that whatever form the school chooses. So it is a smaller group to supervise."
Jacqueline Godwin,
Now you mention that the principals expressed their satisfaction from what they saw on September 10th in terms of the security presence, would the association like to see more security presence along the route?
Salome Tillett,
"I think definitely. We know that schools have even looked at the possibility of having ropes along the sides as was evidenced in the carnival."
Jacqueline Godwin,
I know one question parents will be asking tonight is if their child will be asked to take part in the September 21st parade. How will SCA go about deciding which students will march?
Salome Tillett,
"Well as I told you, we just came out of the meeting and so I have not discussed it with the staff here or with the Sisters but it would be my first inclination to take the more mature students which would be the seniors and where the seniors cannot meet the numbers, then I would probably ask juniors. We know that the students normally like to go, it is the one day where the whole school turns up because they feel proud to be out there, they look beautiful, they see their friends along the route, and people cheer them on and so we hope they would want to be there."
The principals have gotten their wish; the standard route has changed; the parade will now take the same route as the one on the tenth. That is, from Memorial Park up North Front Street, over the Bel China Bridge, unto Magazine Road, then left unto Cemetery Road, into Orange Street, right unto Albert Street, ending at the Yarborough Green. Previously it went unto Dolphin and Fairweather Streets into Caesar Ridge Road.
And in an update to what the Prime Minister and police had proposed: that all the events be held on Monday the 22nd, to simplify security concerns, after discussions with stakeholders, that idea has been rejected. The final decision is that the official ceremonies will be held on Sunday while the official parade and the all day jump up will be held on Monday, the 22nd.
