Please allow me to join in giving you a hearty welcome to Belmopan. It is my sincere wish that my beloved hometown provides the setting you seek for the important deliberations that will take place here today.  Your invitation to address this national convention was accepted with great humility, not only because of the great significance of the occasion but also because of the caliber of the persons who chose to honor me with this distinguished opportunity.  It is an honor and pleasure for which I express my extreme gratitude.

There were several persons and things that came to mind as I pondered on what should be the content of my presentation, primary among them

I myself am a student of the language who remains fascinated by those with the extraordinary ability to retain and use and, perhaps more aptly, manipulate the English language to inspire awe in those blessed to be listening.  So as I prepared for today, I sought inspiration from some gone before us and some with the good fortune of still being able to enjoy a good libation.  I called upon the spirits of a man I came to know only as Mr. Cas, recently deceased of Seine Bight, and of my former principal and friend Aloysius Palacio. I remembered my friends living such as Conrad Arzu Sr., Ernest Castro and Marion Cayetano and hoped that I could remember enough of their uncommonly sagacious grasp of the language to get me through my presentation.  Then, I did the sensible thing and I called my lifelong friend Harold Gregory Arzu to write my speech.

Yet still, where my presentation is left wanting, blame it on Greg, and where it inspires awe, accept me among those of you who are keepers of the language.

I am aware that annual conventions and general assemblies are usually a blend of serious deliberations punctuated of course by entertainment, socializing and recreation.  You will be reflecting not only on issues affecting your organization, the selection of leaders, review of performance, and the setting of new goals, but also on the environment within which your organization has to function and the contribution it must unavoidably make towards the improvement of that environment including the society in which we live.

As you reflect on your recent past as an organization and deliberate on plans for the next year please allow yourselves to be both challenged and inspired by the legacy of achievement and productivity exemplified in Garinagu Belizeans, past and present. I am certain that the spirits of Alejo Beni, T.V. Ramos, Gulisi, John Mariano, Augustine Flores and Andy Palacio will be ever present here with us in Belmopan over this weekend and indeed for years to come.

The National Garifuna Council like many other civil society organizations is a very important partner for government in the formulation and implementation of national policies.  Not only for what the NGC can contribute through effective dialogue but also as an indispensible sounding board through direct and indirect consultation on issues of national importance such as recently passed educational and constitutional reforms. It would have been both interesting and helpful to receive an input from the Council on the amendments to the Education Act, the establishment of the Teaching Commission, and the abolishment of corporal punishment since the garinagu are unquestionably among the pioneers of teaching in Belize and remain a vibrant force in the profession today. There is still time to weigh in on the issue of corporal punishment as the task force appointed by the Minister of Education is just now starting its work to examine alternatives to corporal punishment.

The crime situation which seems to be drowning us in fear can only be solved by collective action. All individuals, neighborhoods, communities, groups and organizations civil, community and business must join with government to find the solution. The National Garifuna Council has a role to play and I challenge you to examine that role in your deliberations today.

The economic recession which is making more challenging our fight against poverty, can be conquered by the collective innovation and enterprise of all our people. The NGC has a role to play and I challenge you to examine that role in your deliberations today.
A functioning, vibrant democracy requires the effective participation and meaningful contribution of its citizens. Your convention today offers the opportunity to plan events for internal discussions and consultations which are critical to harness the energies and ideas of our people.

As the great Garifuna educators would, let us embrace every opportunity to use gatherings such as this to further the enlightenment of Belizeans, increase the awareness for the need to participate in national dialogue and help to shape this democracy that we treasure as a nation.

As a politician committed to the principles of honesty, transparency and accountability, I am anxious for reform in our political system, or more directly our political thinking. We can’t want honest politicians and still have unrealistic expectations of them.  And as politicians, we can’t continue to make unrealistic promises and not expect apathy when expectations are not realized.  It is not sufficient to just use the buzz words- honesty, transparency, and accountability and it’s not realistic to think that we will get there with one election.

It’s a long road; it’s a challenging road; it’s a journey we must all take together. We need to educate and inform, we need to communicate and dialogue, we need to understand and compromise. And your National Garifuna Council can and must play its part. It’s not good enough to just wait for the other Party to come in. The five year cycle serves no purpose.

Mine today is an invitation to dialogue, a challenge to participate, a plea to collaborate. The Horizon 2030 Project offers an opportunity for meaningful dialogue that will result in meaningful change. I challenge the National Garifuna Council to be a part of the change, to contribute, to lead.  The change we need is in each and every one of us.

In closing, let me the direct a few words at my garifuna friends here in Belmopan, simply to encourage them to support the local Belmopan Branch of the Council and to challenge them to make the garifuna presence here in Belmopan more visible at all times but especially during the month dedicated to celebrating the Garifuna culture. As the Area Representative for Belmopan, I pledge my continued support and look forward to a bigger and brighter Celebration in Belmopan this year.

Please enjoy the rest of your convention and may your deliberations today bear the fruits deserved of a people and a culture strong, vibrant and proud.