Belize City, Belize, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 – Belize officially reopened the Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) today welcoming back inbound leisure travel for international visitors, with approved hotels and tour operators only. PGIA has been closed since late march due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Travelers planning to visit Belize in 2020-2021 can choose from a new schedule of year-round, non-stop flights offered by American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines. Beginning Oct. 1, Belize will welcome non-stop flights from Miami (via American Airlines) and Houston (via United Airlines). Similarly, Delta Airlines will resume flights on Nov. 20 with non-stop service from Atlanta. The restoration of direct-flight service enables visitors to get to Belize in approximately three hours or less.
In this initial phase of reopening for international visitation, tourists to Belize will travel within a Tourism Safe Corridor which will include hotels, restaurants and tour operators that have achieved “Tourism Gold Standard” Recognition. The Gold Standard Recognition Program is a 9-point program that seeks to enhance the tourism industry’s health and safety standards by adapting new behaviors and procedures to ensure both employees and travelers are confident in the cleanliness and safety of Belize’s tourism product. Businesses that meet the requirements of the Tourism Gold Standard Program are certified and promoted as having implemented these enhanced measures with a Gold Standard Seal of Approval. This seal certifies industry stakeholders who’ve embraced the safety protocols, and will be visible for all guests where practical, such as tour operator vehicles and vessels, hotel lobbies, primary doors of entry, etc.
The first weekend of operation is expected to be a busy one. American Airlines returns with a full flight (72 passengers) on Thursday, and United Airlines makes its commercial return on Friday with 177 passengers. American Airlines will provide service to Belize Thursday through Monday, while United will fly Friday through Sunday. Full flights are expected from both airlines throughout the weekend. Foreign tourist traffic is anticipated to climb as we near our traditional ‘high season’ in November and the latter part of 2020.
All travelers are required to follow new arrival and departure processes to enter and leave the country, all of which are available on https://www.travelbelize.org/health-safety. As the situation continues to remain fluid, these protocols are subject to change. For questions or concerns, contact the BTB at Tel 227-2420 for via email at [email protected].
In March 2000, the governments of Belize and Guatemala restarted talks on their longstanding territorial differendum, under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. On November 8, 2000, Belize and Guatemala signed the first Agreement on Confidence Building Measures, through which the two parties agreed to respect an “Adjacency Line” between each country and an “Adjacency Zone” extending one kilometer east and west from this line. On February 7, 2003, the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala signed a second Agreement to Establish a Transition Process and Confidence-Building Measures, which was later amended in September 2005 through “Agreement on a Framework for Negotiations and Confidence-Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala”. Central to the second agreement was the establishment of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone for the purpose of fostering community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line and verifying any transgression of the established confidence-building measures and any incidents which may occur in that Zone. The Agreement also called for the establishment of a Group of Friends of the Belize-Guatemala Transition Process (the “Group of Friends”), consisting of OAS Member and Observer States, and others interested in supporting a peaceful resolution to the territorial differendum. The Group of Friends acts as an advisory body to the Secretary General and provides political and operational support for undertaking the various activities contemplated under the agreement on confidence-building measures in force.
Following signature of the 2005 Agreement, two ministerial meetings took place. At the second such meeting, in February 2006, the Secretary General proposed that the negotiation process concerning the territorial differendum begin with the maritime zone. For this aspect of the differendum, the Government of Honduras was invited to participate. A Negotiating Group was formed, which met on several occasions at both the ministerial and technical level, coordinated and facilitated by the Secretary General’s Special Representative. Unfortunately, after almost two years of negotiations, in which a certain degree of rapprochement was achieved, the Parties failed to reach an agreement. The Secretary General therefore recommended that the most appropriate venue for resolving the differendum would be the International Court of Justice. Both countries assented and on December 8, 2008, the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala signed, at OAS headquarters, the “Special Agreement between Guatemala and Belize to submit the territorial, insular and maritime claim of Guatemala to the International Court of Justice.”
On April 27, 2012, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belize and Guatemala met with the OAS Secretary General in Washington, D.C., and agreed that the simultaneous referenda to submit Guatemala’s claim to the International Court of Justice would be held on Sunday, October 6, 2013. On that occasion, both governments requested the support of the General Secretariat for the education and sensitization campaigns that will be launched to inform the people of both Belize and Guatemala about the up coming differendum process as well as the advantages of submitting the dispute to the ICJ and the disadvantage if it is not submitted.
The final decision to take the case to the ICJ must be confirmed through national referenda in both countries. Following a failed attempt at holding the referenda in 2013, the countries agreed to create the appropriate conditions so that a new date for holding the referenda could be fixed. To this end, on January 24th, 2014, the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala, together with the Secretary General of the OAS, signed the Roadmap Agreement for Strengthening Bilateral Relations and established the Belize- Guatemala Joint Commission to explore and develop projects and programs between the two countries, with the goal of strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between them. The objective of the Road Map was to disengage the issue of the differendum from the urgent need to consolidate the bilateral relationship for the sake of regional cooperation and integration. Under this framework, sixteen bilateral agreements (thirteen formal and three informal) were negotiated and dozens of bilateral meetings among different sectors of society took place. This was a historic step that was accomplished within less than 12 months, which culminated in December 2014. For the first time in history, Belize and Guatemala sat down to normalize their good neighborly relations by formalizing how they will work together in the future on a vast number of issues of common interest and concern. The success of these efforts was key to continue to move the process forward. As a result, on May 25, 2015 the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala signed the Protocol to the Special Agreement with the OAS Secretary General as witness. This Protocol enables Belize and Guatemala to hold the referenda either simultaneously or separately on the date that is more convenient to each of the Parties.
Thanks to the support of the OAS through the Peace Fund, Belize and Guatemala are closer than ever to finding a permanent solution to their centuries-old conflict.
Belize is on the fast track to reopening to leisure travel via its Philip Goldson International Airport on October 1, 2020. This exciting news ushers in many questions for potential travelers. Belize has implemented a five-phase travel reopening plan along with the launch of a Tourism Gold Standard Recognition Program. Both measures aim to enhance and enforce standard operating procedures to ensure optimum cleanliness, safe social interactions, and the like, while allowing visitors to enjoy their stay with minimal impact from the changes brought on by COVID-19.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Government of Belize does not currently have any travel bans in place for potential visitors. However, with the introduction of the “Belize Travel Health” App, new procedures have been established to safeguard the health of Belizeans and visitors alike.
Aside from the regular temperature checks conducted at the International Airport, all travelers are now required to download the “Belize Travel Health” App and register for entry into the country within 72 hours prior to their arrival in Belize. (Note that this eight-step application process should NOT be done more than 72 hours prior to arrival as the unique QR code issued via the App will expire and the process will then need to be repeated.) If registration is not done prior to arrival on the App, attendants will be on hand upon arrival to assist with downloading the app and completing the entry requirements. You will then be required to present the unique QR Code upon arrival at the International Airport.
Here’s a quick tutorial to guide you through the process:
Remember, you must have the device used to register on the App with you when you arrive in Belize and continued internet connectivity is recommended since you will be required to check in daily via the App. The App will then track your movement around the country within Belize’s “safe corridors” for contact tracing should the need arise.
A “fast lane” has been established at the International Airport allowing for an expedited immigration process. All visitors will be allowed to utilize the “fast lane” (including children under 16 years of age) once a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Belize is presented. If no prior testing is done, a double rapid test will be done upon arrival at a cost of USD $50.00 per person. The double rapid test includes a Rapid Antigen Test (nasal swab) and an antibody IgG/IgM combo test (finger prick blood test). Those who test positive will be required to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at an approved hotel and at the traveler’s expense until they are cleared as negative. It is highly recommended that you obtain travel insurance prior to departure in the event that you become sick while on vacation.
As with most countries, public use of face masks is mandatory in Belize and social distancing is enforced in all public areas.
Learn more about traveler classifications and entry requirements for when travel resumes on October 1, 2020 in the infographic below.
NEW TRAVEL PROTOCOLS
Belize has implemented new travel protocols for visitors which include enhanced health and safety protocols for hotels, tour operators, archeological sites, and national parks. These are outlined as follows:
Hotels
Online check-in/out, contactless payment systems, and automated ordering/booking systems
Hand sanitizing stations across the property
Enhanced room cleaning and increase sanitization of public spaces and high touch surfaces
Daily health checks for guests and employees
Designated ‘Isolation/Quarantine rooms’ for suspected Covid-19 cases and action plans for handling suspected employees or guests.
Tours, Archaeological Sites & National Parks
New capacity restrictions for all tourism sites to ensure social distancing can be maintained
Smaller tour groups to provide a more intimate tour experience
Sites and Parks to manage tours by appointment to limit the number of persons on site
Enhanced sanitization of tour equipment
Since you are not allowed to explore Belize on your own. You are required to book your stay only with approved hotels and tour operators who have been trained to operate in this new environment. To reiterate, only approved Gold Standard Hotels and Tour Operators that are certified for enhanced health, safety and cleanliness will be allowed to host international visitors.
WHAT TO BRING
COVID-19 does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, so it’s important to keep in mind that even on vacation precautions must be taken. Consider bringing along the following to help make your trip an uneventful one:
Face Masks
Face Shields
Hand Sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol)
Allergy Medication
Cold and Flu Medication
Other Necessary Medication
Travel sized Lysol to disinfect your surroundings in the airplane
Clorox Wipes
Small denomination notes (to avoid having to deal with receiving change)
Sun Block
Bug Repellant
Anti-Itch Cream
After Sun Cooling Gel
Cool/Airy Clothing
Cap/Hat
Water Shoes
Sandal/Flip Flops
THINGS TO DO IN BELIZE
There is so much to choose from when it comes to passing the time while visiting Belize. Nothing is off limits if you are an adventurer. From hiking in the rainforest, to exploring the deep blue sea – you are sure to find an exhilarating activity with one of our Gold Standard Tour Operators. Consider a few of our recommendations:
Get up close and personal with sea turtles – Belize is recognized as one of the world’s premier scuba-diving destinations and the sheer variety of this unspoiled reef’s ecosystems make it easy to get up close and personal with sea turtles
Roam the majestic Maya Mountains – As the only true pine forest in Central America, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is one of the nation’s best spots for hiking, mountain-biking, and horse riding.
Dive or Snorkel the World’s Second Largest Barrier Reef – Belize is recognized as one of the world’s premier scuba-diving destinations, but the snorkeling on the UNESCO Mesoamerican barrier reef system – the second largest barrier reef in the world after Australia – is just as rewarding.
Journey through subterranean caves – Belize’s cave network offers adventurers thrills, dramatic scenery, and impressive archaeological sites.
Diving at Half Moon Caye – Half Moon Caye is a hidden gem of a location that is perfect for diving. The island serves as a breeding ground for the red-footed booby birds and as a nesting ground for endangered sea turtles.
Swim with Nurse Sharks and Sting Rays in Caye Caulker – The Caye Caulker Marine Reserve is an awesome diving spot for those seeking underwater adventures. Tourists can enjoy dives at prime spots like the Hol Chan Marine Reserve or the Blue Hole.
Explore Southern Belize – A great place to get a “best of both worlds” experience would be in Southern Belize. There are many destinations and activities to enjoy in the South from the rich culture in villages like Hopkins or Placencia to tours of ancient Mayan ruins to off-the-beaten path experiences in the offshore cayes (islands).
Visit Maya Ruins – Belize is part of the southern Mayan lowlands of the Mesoamerican culture area. The country is estimated to have thousands of Maya ruins with few found and excavated by scientists but most are still undiscovered.
A broad area of low pressure is expected to form over the western Caribbean Sea in a few days. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for some gradual development thereafter, and a tropical depression could form late this week or this weekend while the system moves slowly west-northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.
Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent.
Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent.
The “Belize Travel Health” App, a newly launched mobile-based application that is now a part of Belize’s phased reopening plan, is now available for free download on both Android and iOS devices. Apple users can locate the App in the App Store while Android users can download the App from the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) website. The App can also be downloaded on the Belize Covid-19 website.
Every person entering the country via official ports of entry (Belizeans and Tourists alike) will now be required to download the App and register for entry into the country within 72 hours of arrival in Belize. (Note that this eight-step application process should NOT be done more than 72 hours prior to arrival as the unique QR code issued via the App will expire and the process will then need to be repeated.) If registration is not done prior to arrival on the App, attendants will be on hand upon arrival to assist with downloading the app and completing the entry requirements. You will then be required to present the unique QR Code upon arrival at the International Airport. Remember, you must have the device used to register on the App with you when you arrive in Belize.
The Belize Health App will assist the local Ministry of Health in monitoring visitors whereabouts and possible contact tracing, should the need arise once the country reopens for leisure travel on October 1. Here’s a quick tutorial to walk you through the process:
Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981. Before independence, Belize went through a democratic process to become a sovereign nation by selecting a national flag and symbols. At that time, Belize already had two established political parties- People’s United Party (PUP) and United Democratic Party (UDP). The national symbols were selected by a bi-partisan committee consisting of members from both political parties.
The Belize Flag
The Belize flag is red, blue and white. It symbolizes the unity of the nation. At first, the PUP suggested that the flag be blue with a white coat of arms in the middle. However, since the party color for the PUP is blue, the UDP suggested the flag be designed in a way that would unite all citizens regardless of their political affiliation so the National Symbols Committee invited citizens to submit designs for the national flag. The flag’s final design, selected by the Committee, was royal blue with a red stripe on the top and bottom and a coat of arms in white at the middle.
The Belize flag is the only flag in the world that has human beings on it. All other flags have images of inanimate animals.
Source: englishinbelize.igcanada.com
The Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms includes a shield which is divided into 3 sections by an inverted Y. The two upper sections contain tools used in the logging industry- a beating axe and paddle in the left section and a squaring axe and saw in the right. The bottom portion of the shield is a ship in full sale on the Caribbean sea.
Supporting the shield are two logwood cutters, one on each side. The one on the left is holding a squaring axe and the one on the right holding a paddle. Atop the shield is a mahogany tree and below it is a scroll with the national motto “Sub Umbra Floreo”, which means “Under the shade I flourish”.
Belize’s National Flower
The national flower of Belize is the Black Orchid (Encyclia Cochleatum). The Black Orchid has greenish-yellow petals and sepals with purple blotches near the tip. The main petal on the Black Orchid is shaped like the valve of a clam shell and is deep purple/brown color that is almost black.
The Black Orchid is native to Central America, Colombia, the West Indies, Venezuela and Southern Florida.
Source:ourbelizevacation.com
Belize’s National Tree
The national tree of Belize is the Mahogany Tree. The Mahogany tree is one of the biggest trees in Belize’s rainforest. The tree can grow taller than 100 feet and has huge buttresses at its roots. The Mahogany tree rises high above others with a crown of large green leaves.
Mahogany in Belize was exploited by British settlers from around the middle of the 17th century. Mahogany was originally exported to the UK as squared logs. The “shade” heard in the motto in the Coat of Arms refers to that of the Mahogany tree.
The Mahogany tree has a straight grain with no pockets or voids. Its trunk has a reddish/brown color which gets darker over time. When it’s polished, it displays a beautiful red sheen. Mahogany is a very popular wood for furniture because it is very easy to work with and durable.
Source: Flickr.com
Belize’s National Bird
The national bird of Belize is the Keel Billed Toucan. It is most popularly known for its large, brightly colored green bill and vibrant multi-color (green, blue, red, black and orange) feathers.
Toucans are found in open areas with large trees making a frog-like croak. Toucans nest in holes in these trees and feed off of fruits with their serrated-edged bills. These beautiful birds lay two to four eggs at a time and both parents incubate them. Their nesting stage lasts between six to seven weeks.
The large bills of the Toucans can sometimes be as long as half the length of the bird’s body. Despite being so large, the Toucan’s bill is very light and is made of bone struts filled with keratin. Their bill has forward facing serrations that resemble teeth.
Belize’s National Animal
The national animal of Belize is the Tapir, also known as the Mountain Cow. The Tapir is the largest land mammal in the American tropics. The Tapir is a stout animal with short legs that can weigh as much as 800 pounds. It is normally a dusty brown color with a white trim around the eyes, lips and ears. Occasionally, white patches can be seen on the fur by the throat and chest.
Despite being locally referred to as the Mountain cow, the Tapir bears no relation to a cow. Rather it is more closely related to the horse and rhinoceros.
The Tapir is a vegetarian. It spends most of its time in water and is a very strong swimmer. The Tapir is protected under the wildlife protection laws of Belize which makes hunting for the animal illegal.
The Baird’s Tapir is the Tapir that lives in Belize and one of four Latin American species. The Baird’s Tapir is known for its distinctive cream-colored marking on its face and throat and the dark spot on each cheek and below the eye. It is the largest land mammal from Mexico to South America and averages 2 meters in length, 1.2 meters in height and up to 880 pounds. They have 4 toes on each front foot and 3 toes on each back foot.
Belize’s National Prayer
The national prayer of Belize was written by Belize’s first prime minister, Hon. George Price. The prayer was adapted from a prayer for the church and civil authorities that was written by archbishop John Carroll in November 1791.
Belize’s National Prayer
Almighty and Eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has revealed Your Glory to all nations, please protect and preserve Belize, our beloved country.
God of might, wisdom and justice, please assist our Belizean government and people with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude.
Let Your light of divine wisdom direct their plans and endeavors so that with Your help we may attain our just objectives. With Your guidance, may all our endeavors tend to peace, social justice, liberty, national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge.
We pray, o God of Mercy, for all of us that we may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Your most holy law, that we may be preserved in the union and in peace which the world itself cannot give. And, after enjoying the blessings of this life, please admit us, dear Lord, to that eternal reward that You have prepared for those who love You.
Amen.
Belize’s National Anthem
The national anthem of Belize is “Land of the Free”. The lyrics were written by Samuel Haynes and music composed by Selwyn Walford Young in 1963. The national anthem was officially adopted on independence day September 21, 1981. It was originally titled “Land of the Gods” but it was later changed due to sensitivity that the word “Gods” would be thought of as unchristian-like.
Land of the Free
O land of the free by the Carib Sea,
Our manhood we pledge to thy liberty!
No tyrants here linger, despots must flee
This tranquil haven of democracy.
The blood of our sires which hallows the sod,
Brought freedom from slavery oppression’s rod,
By the might of truth and the grace of God,
No longer shall we be hewers of wood.
Refrain: Arise! Ye sons of the Baymen’s clan, Put on your armour, clear the land!
Drive back the tyrants, let deposts flee-
Land of the free by the Carib Sea!
Nature has blessed thee with wealth untold,
O’er mountains and valleys where prairies roll;
Our fathers, the Baymen, valiant and bold
Drove back the invader; this heritage hold
From proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon,
Through coral isle, over blue lagoon;
Keep watch with the angels, the stars and moon;
For freedom comes tomorrow’s noon.
Being involved in any kind of car accident or collision can be extremely stressful.
Whether the collision is a minor accident with not much damage or a car wreck that has written on your car there are certain procedures you must follow.
So, let’s take a look at what they are.
Stop The Car
As soon as you realize that you have been involved in a car accident no matter how small or large the first thing you must do is stop the car.
It is illegal in most countries to leave the scene of an accident, regardless of the size of the accident and whether anyone is hurt or not, so pull over and stop in a safe place as soon as possible.
It’s also a good idea to put on your hazard lights to warn any other traffic on the road that an incident has occurred. This is particularly important if the accident has taken place during the night while its dark and visibility is low.
Check For Injuries
Check yourself and any passengers you may have in the car for any injuries you may have sustained during the crash.
Many people wonder what to do if in a car accident and checking for injuries is one of the first things anyone should do after they have stopped and switched off the ignition of the vehicle.
If the toy and everyone in your car is injury free, then check on the other involved vehicle to see if they have sustained any injuries.
If anyone is injured or seriously hurt, then you should ring for an ambulance immediately.
Ring The Police
Although ringing the police is not always necessary for every single car crash, if there have been any injuries sustained or if the vehicles involved are blocking any roads or lanes they will need to be called.
When ringing the police state clearly and precisely what has happened and where you are in as much detail. The more detail you give them the better as it will quicken their arrival time to the scene of the crash.
Once the police have arrived, let them take over dealing with everything as they are trained to deal with these types of incidents.
Swap Details
It is vitally important that in all accidents and car crashes that you swap details with the other driver. Not doing so is a crime in most countries.
You will need to swap insurance details as well as contact names, numbers, and other personal information. Again, it is important that you get all correct information to speed up the process for the insurance companies to deal with the incident.
If the other driver refuses to cooperate with sharing these details or they do not have a valid insurance with the car, make sure that you take down their number plate and description and contact the police immediately. It is important with these types of cases to act fast and not delay.
Witness Statements
If there were any people who witnessed the accident who were not involved in the crash, it’s important you speak to them and get their details. This can be really important if there is any dispute between who was at fault for the accident.
Most bystanders who witness an accident will be more than happy to help with a witness statement. It’s a good idea to speak to them, get their details and find out what they saw as soon as possible.
This can be so very important if they witnessed that the crash was the other driver’s fault and not yours as your insurance company and the police can use their witness statement in the court of law. So always seek out bystanders to the incident to find out what they saw and heard.
Take Photographs
In this day and age everyone has camera phones on them so there is no excuse in not taking photos of the evidence. This can be really useful further down the line for the insurance companies when they decide if they will pay out or not for the damage caused.
Take pictures of both the damage on your car and the other vehicle involved. Take as many detailed pictures as possible, the more the better as this will help you in the long run.
If there is any debris on the road or other things that may be important for your insurance company to see take photos of these as well. It is better to have more pictures than needed rather than no pictures of not enough to help your claim.
Contact Your Insurance Company
This is the final and most important step. Once you have done all the above it’s time to speak with your insurance company.
Detail with them as much information regarding the accident as possible making sure not to leave out any detail regardless of how small you may think it is, as the more information and evidence they have the easier it is for them to deal with the incident.
Even if you are involved in a very minor collision or accident it’s vital that you let your car insurance company know straight away. It is illegal in most countries to not report a car accident with your insurance company. If you do not report it and it is later discovered either from a third party witness or the other car involved, you can and most likely will be prosecuted and you could end up losing your license.
So even though you may think it’s a nuisance to get the insurance company involved it is something that has to be done regardless of how big or small the accident has been.
Conclusion
No one likes to be involved in any type of car crash let alone one that could write off your car. But if you should be involved in any such incident in Belize then follow the above advice and all laws within the country for the best outcome.
With numerous discussions circulating about the Battle of St. George’s Caye and our first settlers, as a Belizean, have you ever wondered how the country got its name “Belize”? Many Belizeans are aware that the country was formerly known as British Honduras, then in 1973 its name was officially changed to Belize. The name of our country “Belize”, as many tourists have noted, is very exotic and unique and over the years has generated various “origin” stories. The origin of the name is unclear; however, as you will clearly see in the facts stated below, there exist two popularly espoused possibilities of the etymology of the name Belize.
The first, one of the more logical origin stories, was probably derived from the earliest records of the settlement found in a journal dated back to 1677 belonging to a Dominican priest named Fray Jose Delgado, as noted in Alan Twigg’s book, Understanding Belize: A Historical Guide. Since the Mayans were the first settlers of the country, it is believed that the name was provided by the priest’s translator and originated from the Mayan word “Balix,” which means “muddy waters,” referring to the Belize River, or from another derivation of the Mayan word “Belikin,” meaning “land facing the sea,” referring to the coast — both of which were names of popular settlements of the ancient Mayas.
Another possibility, noted in the Encyclopedia Britannica, is that the name was assigned by the Scottish buccaneer Captain Peter Wallace, who was credited in the 1827 Almanack with discovering the mouth of the Belize River. He used the river as a place of retreat and began a settlement around Belize River ca. 1638. The story goes that Wallace, or his followers, gave his own name to Belize, but since the Spaniards could not pronounce “w,” it was substituted with a “v,” creating “Vallis,” which was changed to “b,” thus resulting in “Balise”.
The timeline of the origin of the name was also noted on the below image, which was shared by Belize Archives & Records Service (BARS) on Facebook on July 19, 2011. According to BARS this image was scanned from a framed document donated by Stephen Fairweather from a book; however, the name of the book, its author and the creator of the image are unknown. Photocopied records from Spanish archives refer to the settlement as Wallix (1796-1798), while Belize’s records state the name of the settlement as Bay of Honduras or British Honduras and possibly Belize. Other maps and correspondence during this time had a complicated range of different names stated on the documents.
Upon analyzing the image, it can noted that the recorded dates in the document are not in order and contradict the creator’s timeline for the deterioration of the name. Interestingly enough, you can clearly see a scanned copy of the portion of the journal belonging to the priest Delgado on the fifth image from the top. But, if one should rearrange the image and reference the names in the proper chronological order, it will result as follows:
Balis: 1677 — Copy of Fray Joseph Delgado’s Journey to Bacalar
Bullys: 1705 — Extracted from John Fingas’ letter to the Council of Trade
Bellefe: 1720 –Extracted from Capt. Nathan Uring’s Voyage to Belize.
Valis: 1724 — Report in Madrid of the number of English settlers
Valiz: 1780 — Spanish map showing “Rio de Valiz Yngles River Bellese”
Walis: 1785 — Spanish map showing the logwood area occupied by the English settlers
Wallix: 1790 – Map drawn by Rafael Llobet showing the new area cleared in Belize
Belize : 1790 – Extracted from Peter Hunter’s Letter to Baltasar Rodriguis
Therefore, in the correct chronological order, one can clearly see that although not in the proper order, the creator of the image is somewhat accurate in his determination that the name was derived from Balis (Mayan) and Walis (Wallance).
It is fascinating to see how many origin stories exist for Belize, The Jewel of the Caribbean. Whichever the case of the Belize etymology, Belizeans should be proud of our long heritage of settlers, ranging from the Maya and British buccaneers in the past to the current presence of various ethnic groups from all over the world, who are spread throughout the country. By peeping into our past, we can truly appreciate our present.
Happy St. George’s Caye Day, Belize!
(Ref: Belize Archives & Records Service (BARS); “British Honduras” — Encyclopædia Britannica 12. New York: The Britannica Publishing Company. 1892. Retrieved September, 1, 2015.; Twigg, Alan (2006). Understanding Belize: A Historical Guide. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. pp. 9–10, 38–45.)
The Official Flag of Belize is in the final stages of being standardized. At an event held at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City, the media was informed of the work currently underway to standardize the Belizean Flag.
This initiative has received bipartisan support and has already been approved by the Cabinet, with the support of the Leader of the Opposition and is currently embarking on a Consultation and Education Campaign. The endeavor currently underway is to establish a Belizean Flag that is as close to the design of the original flag flown on the 21st of September 1981 with clear guidelines to enable for accurate recreation both locally and internationally.
Note: Photographs shown on this post are the renderings of the Standardized Flag and Coat of Arms.
Begin Press Release
Press Release – Media Session on Flag Day and Standardization Presentation and Calendar of Events.
The Flag of Belize is in the final stages of being standardized. At an event held today at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City, the media was informed of the work currently underway to standardize the Belizean Flag. This initiative has received bi-partisan support and has already been approved by the Cabinet, with the support of the Leader of the Opposition and is currently embarking on a Consultation and Education Campaign. The endeavor currently underway is to establish a Belizean Flag that is as close to the design of the original flag flown on the 21st of September 1981 with clear guidelines to enable for accurate recreation both locally and internationally.
The Chairman of the National Celebrations Commission, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture, the Honourable Patrick Faber was at the event and presented a standardized flag to each of the Mayors who were present at the event. These flags and others adhering to the design are to be raised at the National Flag Day Ceremonies to take place in each municipality on September 1st, 2019 and the many other official ceremonies to follow.
Ms. Sapna Budhrani, President of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and the Co-Chairperson of the National Celebrations Commission was also present and shared her appreciation to all those who have participated and invested their time, efforts, knowledge, and research on this project to develop it to the current status. The media was also reminded of the electronic and printable links for the 2019 National September Celebrations Calendar, which are listed below, and asked to share them with their viewers through their websites and social media accounts.
On August 29, 2020, an official ceremony was held for the renaming of the lighthouse on Hunting Caye, Belize. In honor of its former operator, the lighthouse was renamed the Thomas “Lester” Garbutt Lighthouse. The ceremony was presided over by the Ministry of National Security and the Belize Port Authority.
Thomas Garbutt or “Lester” Garbutt, as he was more commonly known, was the lighthouse keeper at Hunting Caye from 1961 up until his death in 2001. During that time, he also acted as Belize’s first line of defense given the caye’s proximity to Guatemalan territory. In 1986, then president of Guatemala, Vinicio Cerezo, entered Belizean waters on a yacht during his vacation. Lester Garbutt paddled his canoe up to the yacht armed only with a bolt action rifle and notified the President that he had illegally entered Belizean waters. Garbutt gave the President the order to leave immediately with which he complied.
In his remarks, Minister of National Security, Hon. Michael Peyrefitte hailed Garbutt as a patriot stating, “It puzzled me that such an intriguing story had not been told to the wider population and, indeed, this man was befitting of the highest honour bestowed upon our heroes.”
Minister Peyrefitte put forth to Cabinet the suggestion to rename the lighthouse after spending time with the Garbutt family where he learned of Lester Garbutt and the history of the lighthouse during a routine visit to the Belize Coast Guard forward operating base at Hunting Caye last month. The recommendation was unanimously approved after verifying the historical facts.
In attendance for the ceremony were officials from the Belize Coast Guard, Belize Port Authority, the Belize Fisheries Department, and family members of the late Thomas “Lester” Garbutt, including his wife and children. In addition to the lighthouse being renamed, a monument was erected with a plaque in memory of Charles Garbutt, the son of Lester Garbutt, who was also a lighthouse keeper at English Caye but tragically went missing in 1998.
