And while the new Miss Universe hopes to make it into Belize's history books, one man who has filled those pages will be celebrated on Friday.
January 15 is George Price's birthday and for the first time ever, it will be a holiday. This motion was passed in the House of Representatives on Friday to declare that holiday - and another for Freedom Day, which will be on August 1 - when Belize will join other Caribbean nations to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the Caribbean..
Additionally, the PUP proposed removing the October 12 holiday known as Pan American Day - previously Columbus Day.
And while very few would cry for Columbus, George Price is another matter completely. The Father Of The Nation has a tight connection to Belizean heartstrings - but the new holiday has stirred debate throughout Belize as to whether or not Price merits his own holiday - especially when March 9 is already set aside as National Heroes and Benefactors Day.
It also caused a debate in the House when Opposition Leader Patrick Faber rose in disagreement. He claimed that the PUP was trying to shine the light on one national hero while neglecting the other.
Hon Patrick Faber, Leader of the Opposition
"Sometime ago, the administration of the UDP saw it fit to recategorize March 9 and to make it a day to honor our national heroes, of which there are only two, the Rt Hon George Price, and the Hon Philip Goldson. And we chose to as well commemorate on that very day, which was already the case, we commemorate Baron Bliss Day."
"There has been an attempt, a continuous attempt, on the part of the PUP, especially when they're in government, to play up one national hero over the other national hero who I think it is indisputable, although they will try, it should be indisputable that both of these men contributed greatly to Belize's development and that is why they are both designated as national heroes."
"We're taking away a day on October 12 that is used to celebrate many people in our country, the indigenous people, people of different races, and we're saying that one person should get a holiday that we already have a day that is designated to honor him and again I repeat for those who will insist on making mischief, that it is not to downplay the Rt Hon George Price's contribution."
Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca responded to Faber saying that while Philip Goldson might be the UDP's prince of patriotism, he's no Father of the Nation.
PM John Briceno also stood up to justify the removal of Pan American Day.
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
"We've always had great respect on this side for the Hon Philip Goldson and for his contributions to Belize's political development and to Belize's national development. But there is only one George Price, there is only one Father of the Nation, there is only one Father of Independence. And if we can't celebrate the Father of the Nation, the Father of Independence, if we cannot recognize and appreciate and celebrate a public and bank holiday in honor of that individual then everything else in terms of holidays are meaningless."
Hon John Briceno, Prime Minister
"When we started talking about designating these holidays, we felt it important that yes, we need to do George Price, but also that we need to join the rest of the world in celebrating emancipation day. And that is why we felt we needed to come up with these two new holidays, but if you speak to a lot of people they
will tell you that we have a lot of holidays in this country. And we did not want to add more, and that is why initially there was talk about removing October 12, which started off as Columbus Day, and that's a day of infamy, because they came into this part of the world and they plundered the Americas and murdered millions of indigenous people. So after we started having that discussion among ourselves, we felt, along with the Minister of New Industries and Home Affairs, we need to fix it."
An official release says, quote "October 12, celebrated as Pan American Day, is to be renamed. A special committee will be established to determine the official list of public and bank holidays.
The announcement of the official changes in the public and bank holidays will be done at a later time." END QUOTE.
