September 10th. We all know what it is and what it signifies – in fact most folks just call it “The tenth” but somewhere along the line officialdom labelled it National Day, a subtle denunciation of “The Battle of St. George’s Caye” an event which critics say is at best, overstated. And while the interpretation of the events of that day in 1798 can be debated endlessly, the bottom line is that the Tenth is a commemoration that has always been enthusiastically embraced by the UDP and only grudgingly acknowledged by the PUP.
So it’s not surprising that with last year’s change of government comes another official name change for the tenth. By Cabinet decree, it will no longer be amorphously called National Day; instead, with a knowing nod to the battle, it will be called St. George’s Caye Day.
Other Cabinet news is that Belize City will have an international bus terminal. The Ministry of Transport is looking for land to put it on.
And The Ministry of Housing will have a new, Chief Executive Officer, another one, actually. In the eighteen months since the UDP has been in office, Housing Minister Michael Finnegan has passed through three CEO’s. The most recent, Dwight Tillet has returned to private life and now, career diplomat Lawrence Sylvestre – who most recently served as the High Commissioner to the UK takes up the post. Finnegan told us he requested Sylvester for his efficiency and integrity.
