The Prime Minister left after the Independence Day celebrations.
Independence Day saw the cancellation of the county's biggest uniform parade which is in the city due to the weather forecast, but there was little rain. But while there was no uniform parade in the city, the 21st ceremony was held here instead of in Belmopan. And apart from a two hour delay at the start, it commenced under sunny skies in front of the Supreme Court. Courtney Menzies has an overlook of the ceremony.
Belize's 44th anniversary experienced a slight setback when the start time for the official ceremony was pushed back two hours due to a forecast for rain. But sunny skies prevailed in the city - where the ceremony was hosted this year, as opposed to the customary Belmopan.
However, the spirit of the day was definitely diminished since there was no uniform parade to complement it - that event also having been cancelled due to the forecast of rain - which never came.
But the ceremony began as it traditionally does with the introduction of all the officials - including the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister, and the Governor General - who then inspected the guard of honor.
The Belize City Mayor was the first to give his address, where he detailed some of the accomplishments of recent years.
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize
"We can also celebrate the roll out of our national health insurance which continues to serve our people. We can as a nation celebrate the phased roll out of our free education initiative which is intended to give our children a fighting chance for a brighter future. We can celebrate our land and our home distribution programs that continue to anchor families. And certainly we can celebrate the strong performance of our tourism sector which continues to be a pillar of our community, fueled by new partnerships, expanded opportunities, connecting us closer to the world and creating new pathways for growth. And we can celebrate the resilience of our economy which sustains jobs and empowers households."
The Leader of the Opposition then recalled some of the non-political heroes that are ingrained into Belize's history and their contribution to the development of the nation over the last four decades.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"On a day like today, we recall the heroism of those like Antonio Soberanis who gave a voice to the labor movement. Leigh Richardson, who kept the flame of nationalism burning. Madam Liz, who championed women empowerment and the right of women to own property. And Nurse Cleopatra White, who was deeply concerned about the health of our nation and about our unwavering commitment to our sense of community."
And she also took a glancing shot at the government's lack of transparency:
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"In adulthood we have the certitude to stand firm, it means no longer accepting the easy answer of partisan politics and corruption and nepotism that have become hallmarks of recent administrations. It means maintaining a decorum of respect when civil society members, the independent media and members of the opposition ask the difficult questions and probe for answers that make sense. It means rejecting the notion that someone else will rescue us when in truth, the job is ours to embrace."
And after a short musical interlude, the prime minister took the stage, giving an unprecedented 9 minute speech - unlike previous Independence Day speeches that could last up to 30 minutes.
He began by going off script and coming full force at the Leader of the Opposition:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for her aspirations that he has for Belize. It's an aspiration that all of us have and I'll just make an observation, that she had 13 years to make some of these aspirations become real but unfortunately she failed back then but I hope that together, now, we can make these aspirations become real for our Belizean people."
And since he already gave his state of the nation address, the PM used this opportunity to reflect on Belize's past and what he hopes for the future.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"In these ever changing times, the one constant must be meaningful development. Therefore we adjust and retrofit to changing realities on the march forward. How beautiful it is that on this day, thousands of our citizens will join with friends and loved ones at parades and parties across this country to rejoice in the blessings of this land and people."
"Holding fast to the noble principles upon which this nation was built, we must look forward tomorrow with the same love for social justice liberty, national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge."
The Leader of the Opposition's speech was 27 minutes long, while the Mayor's was 13 minutes. And, as you heard, the PM clocked in at a record low 9 minutes.
