Architech of Belize Constitution Hon. V.H. Courtney R.I.P.

August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

vernon-harrison-courtenay-belize.jpgBelmopan, Belize 17 August (BelizeBlog.com) One of the founding fathers of modern day Belize and key architect of the Belize Constitution, Hon. Vernon Harrison Courtenay died on Saturday August 15.

V.J. as he was affectionately known, was a key player along with the Hon. C.L.B. Rogers, Rt. Hon. George Price and Hon. Assad Shoman in the quest for Belizean independence from the British colonial masters.

Hon. V.H. Courtenay was an outstanding Belizean patriot. An attorney-at-law by profession, he was a partner in Belize’s largest and best known law firm W.H. Courtney and Company.

V.H. Courtenay won three General Elections to the Belize House of Representatives. He was Belize’s first Attorney General and served in the Belize Cabinet as Minister of Works, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

An accomplished orator and Senior Counsel, he was feared by political adversaries during debates in the House of Representatives. A memorial service for the late V.H. Courtenay will be held this Wednesday at St. Mary’s Church in Belize City. A biographical summary of this Belize son of the soil follows:

VERNON HARRISON COURTENAY, S, C. born Belize, 1932; admitted, 1960, England and Belize. Education: Belize and Lincoln’s Inn, London. PRACTICE AREAS: Administrative Law; Business Law; Chancery Practice; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Company Law; Constitutional Law.
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Expat Highlights Belize Ministry of Health Woes

August 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Belmopan, Belize 11 August (BelizeBlog.com) Retired U.S.A. Judge and current Belize Expat resident Kenneth Gale recently wrote an analysis on the foibles of the Belize Minister of Health:

Baby Jayden’s tragic death resulting from his chocking
on a bean has exposed gross deficiencies in Belize’s medical care. The
failure of two medical institutions to timely treat baby Jayden in a
manner so as to save his life is both shocking and alarming. Adding the
request for $15,000 to be paid up front before treating his
life-threatening emergency indicates an insidious situation. A
situation that can place the health care and lives of all Belizeans in
jeopardy. Neither medical facility attempted the Heimlich procedure.

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Belize Costa Maya Festival In Full Swing

August 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Belmopan, Belize 8 August (BelizeBlog.com) The Belize Costa Maya Festival is in full swing in its 18th year.

The festival held at top tourism spot San Pedro, Ambergris Caye provides a welcome respite from the slow summmer tourism season.

It features a varity of activities including a Beauty Contest, international music stars, all night parties, sports events and model shoots.

This year’s singing star is Mexico’s Christian Castro.

The winner of the Miss Belize Reina de la Costa Maya is Miss Nicaraqua Maritza Rivas.

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Belize: U.D.P. Moves to Allow Dual Citizens to Run for Office

August 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Belmopan, Belize 5 August (BelizeBlog.com) The ruling United Democratic Party Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has opened a can of worms in an attempt to amend the Belize Constitution to allow dual citizens to run for political office.

The move has created a firestorm of opposition within Belize and a bellicose debate as to the rational for this action, Many Belizeans believe it is an attempt to allow non-resident Belizean-Americans who form a strong plank of supporters of the U.D.P., to run for office.

Prominent Belize Activist and University of Belize Founding Lecturer Sylvana Woods summed up this debate in the following essay:

“It is with a sense of dismay that I
listened to the tabling of a Bill to amend the Constitution to allow
for persons with dual citizenship, one of them being Belizean, to be
allowed to serve in the House of Representatives or Cabinet.
  
“I strongly believe, feel and
intellectualize this to be to the detriment of our sense of identity as
Belizeans, our allegiance to Belize, our integrity as a nation, and an
insult to the average citizen, citizens in whom one would hope the
Government of Belize would do all it could to ensure policies and
practices never compromise the integrity of being Belizean.

“I object to the proposed amendment
and strongly urge the Government of Belize to rethink this devastating
blow to nationhood. Below, I detail four concrete reasons why I
strongly renounce such an amendment:

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