The details for the state funeral of Dame Minita Gordon have been finalized. It will be held on Wednesday in Belize City, and she will be interred at the Lord Ridge cemetery.
And while there have been many official funerals, it will be only Belize's third state funeral in its history. The first two were for then sitting member of the house, Agripino Kawich in 2003, and, of course, National Hero George Price in 2011. But Dame Minista is the first head of state that Belize will bury - and the funeral must be an expression of the highest honour given by the Government of Belize. v So, unlike an official funeral, a state funeral is not a one day event. This one will engender three days of national mourning, during which time the Belize Flag will fly at half-mast and the body will lie in state at a public place for members of the public to pay their last respects.
And, it all starts on Monday, January 18th, at 1:30 when her remains arrive from the US - where she died on New Year's Day. The body will be received by the Government with a Guard of Honour and with the presence of Dam Minita's successor, Governor General Sir Colville Young, Prime Minister John Briceño; and Leader of the Opposition, Patrick Faber. After that there will be a procession into Belize City and ending at the Coye Funeral Home.
On Tuesday, there will be a procession to escort the body to the Government House where it will lie in state for invited officials to view it. And then, finally on Wednesday, the state funeral will be held. Today, in a Zoom press briefing, the Cabinet Secretary told the press more:
At the funeral official remembrances will be given by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and her youngest sister will deliver a eulogy. And so while next week, Dame Minita will get the state's highest sendoff, the press today asked the Cab Sec about the circumstances of her death, on New Year's Day, two days after her birthday:
We'll have extensive coverage of Dame Minita's funeral next week.
