Belize has commenced a period of National Mourning which started today. It is for the former Head Of State Dr. Dame Minita Gordon, Belize's first Governor-General, who died on New Year's Day in California.
On Wednesday, she will be interred at the Lord Ridge Cemetery in the third State Funeral of the country's history.
Day one of the 3-day ceremony began today when her remains arrived on an American Airlines flight at the Philip Goldson International Airport.
The Government Press Office was at the airport this afternoon, and with their help, our Daniel Ortiz put this story together:
This afternoon, the flight transporting the remains of Dr. Dame Minita Gordon arrived at the Phillip Goldson international airport in Ladyville.
A Belize Defence Force "Bearer Party" was on the tarmac ready to receive and escort those remains.
Waiting with the soldiers were the Heads of State and Government, Governor-General, Sir Colville Young; Prime Minister John Briceno; the Leader of the Opposition several Cabinet Ministers; Senator Elena Smith; and several other VIPs.
As soon as Dr. Gordon's remains were removed from the plane, they were escorted off by the bearer party who received it with a rendering of the National Anthem.
A religious ceremony was held on the tarmac, after which, the former Governor General's remains were placed in the hearse.
The BDF and police authorities then escorted the hearse out of the compound of the PGIA, down the Philip Goldson Highway, right on to Chetumal Boulevard, right on the George Price Highway, and then finally to Coye's Funeral Home.
At the compound of the funeral home, members of the BDF stood at the ready.
With a slow and respectful pace, the bearer party then escorted the coffin from the entrance of the property, to inside the funeral home itself.
The Flag was flown today at half-mast in honor of Belize's first Governor-General, and it will remain so until Wednesday when the State Funeral for Dr. Dame Minita is fully completed.
Tomorrow, at starting 8:40 a.m., Dr. Gordon's remains will be brought to Albert Street for the Cortège followed by the Lying in State. It can be seen live on Channel 7 or our Facebook feed.
