Derek Aikman's Belize Covenant Movement has been making the news ever since the former member of the House of Representatives initiated an ad hoc referendum on the bill to take on the Universal debt as a public debt. After that Aikman's profile soared when he was allegedly abducted. On Sunday, Aikman was back in the spotlight as he launched his Belize Covenant Movement. It didn't have the national impact of the PUP national convention, but it was one heck of a curiosity and our camera was there.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
A very modest crowd, no more than 50 turned out at the SJC gym on Sunday afternoon for the launch of the Belize Covenant Movement. And while the crowd was small there were notables from independent parties. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in scale and sense of occasion - complete with flag procession. And so it was, part church service - part political platform laying and part patriotic celebration - with the embroidering of patriotic and Christian songs.
[Christian Hymns]
And befitting that mix, Covenant founder Aikman made it clear in his emotional speech that the state is what needs salvation.
Derek Aikman, Belize Covenant Movement
"Belize Covenant Movement is unapologetic when we say that we believe that unless there is a divine intervention in our affairs, unless there is a spiritual renewal in each and every one of us to become the watchdogs for each and every one of us and the watchdogs of this land, then there may not be another occasion that we may be able to come and celebrate anything that's left of Belize."
Following Aikman's almost apocalyptic treatise, there were educators, student leaders, poets, and politicians both independent and transitional who gave their dire views on the shape of the state. Keynote speaker Mose Hyde said he wasn't worthy.
Mose Hyde, Keynote Speaker
"I am very honored and it makes me almost embarrassed that I have been invited to give the keynote address. I also want to confess to all gathered here that I have spent the entire week trying to figure out how to get out of it. And I say this not to embarrass the organizers and the leaders of the Belize Covenant Movement but in fact to complement them because even though I toyed with the idea of finding a good excuse not to come, simply because I am very uncomfortable with and intimidated by seeing an advertisement with my name jumping out there, Mose Hyde keynote address, that…I am just a deejay man."
But this deejay had a lot to say about a nation in need of awakening.
Mose Hyde,
"And if we had a nation where our direction indicated that our leaders were in tune with the people, Belize Covenant Movement would have been null and void. But because we don't, we need Belize Covenant Movement. Belizeans noh wah sleep no more. Belizeans don't need a pillow, mattress, sheets, warm milk, or soft music. We don't want to go to sleep anymore. We've been asleep for a long long time. We've been asleep for too long. And we come out of our anesthesia and we found out, as Mr. Aikman pointed out, you turn on your light - the money gone to Canada; you call your girlfriend - the money gone to England; and the oil wells them belong to two ladies who I don't know where they came from. All this happened while we slept. We've been sleeping for a long time and we don't want to sleep anymore."
And to put fire and brimstone to Mose Hyde's message, Pastor Tracy Pitts, was flown in from Atlanta
Pastor Tracy Pitts,
"You can make all the requests known. The Bible does not talk about nobody giving you nothing, you better take what you want. You want the land back, you better stand up and take it back. You waiting for somebody to give you something, you've lost your mind. Ain't nobody, Musa, the Opposition, I don't care who is in government - ain't nobody going to give you nothing. You better rise up and say this moment we are taking back Belize with force."
Pitts ended with a prayer and a call to action
Pastor Tracy Piits,
"And everybody say Amen and turn to the person next to you and give them a high five and tell we are going to do it. Give them a high five and tell them we are going to do it. Give them a high five and tell them in Jesus' name we're going to do it. We are going to do it. We……are going to do it."
A fitting tremulous finish to a shaky launch for the Covenant Movement - but then maybe that's party of the story - because where would the covenant be without a biblical struggle….?
The Belize Covenant Movement has been working with independent parties.
