1 week ago
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Senior United Democratic Party official Patrick Faber is criticizing Prime Minister John Briceño for his absence from the official funeral of the late Henry Gordon, held on Saturday in Belize City. Speaking at the UDP press conference this morning, Faber said the Prime Minister neither attended the funeral nor sent a representative, despite Gordon’s long record of national service. According to Faber, four wreaths were placed at the altar during the service in keeping with tradition, with one wreath left untouched, intended for the Prime Minister to lay in honour of Gordon. Faber described the absence as disrespectful, saying it was disappointing that no official representation was made to acknowledge Gordon’s contribution to Belize. He also accused the Prime Minister of politicizing the official funeral.
Patrick Faber, UDP Senator: “And for those who don’t know, an official funeral has certain protocols that need to be followed. You get the, depending on the level of service you’ve given, but certainly the National Assembly is considered very high rank in terms of the order of things. And so Senator Gordon by all means should have gotten the full honors and he did get the 21 gun salute of the BDF. He did get the presence of the Governor-General. He did get the presence of the Leader of the Opposition, our Party Leader. And he did get the presence of the President of the Senate, the Chamber of National Assembly, the House of the National Assembly that he served in for four years but he did not get the presence and the honor of the Prime Minister of Belize and I say today that that is a great shame to Mr. Gordon’s public life and contributions to our country. When it was time to lay the wreath, you know they have four wreathes one for the Governor General, one for the Prime Minister, one for the Leader of the Opposition, and one for the representative from the House in our bicameral legislature that that individual served on. The wreathe for the Prime Minister lay on the tripod and remained on the tripod even after the funeral, shame, shame, shame.”
Henry Goldbourne Gordon was widely recognized as a dedicated public servant and Belizean patriot. He served as Chief Meteorologist from 1982 to 1987 and played a key role in strengthening Belize’s national capacity in weather monitoring and climate preparedness. The National Meteorological Service of Belize paid tribute to Gordon, describing his leadership and service as instrumental to the institution’s development. Gordon also served as Secretary General of the United Democratic Party and later as a Senator, where he was known for his integrity, commitment, and sense of responsibility in public life. In a statement of condolence, the UDP highlighted his lasting contributions to both party and country, extending sympathies to his family and loved ones. Meanwhile, Church Senator Louis Wade, who was mentored by Gordon, described him as a guiding influence, recalling Gordon’s early writings and impact on national discourse. The Prime Minister’s Office has not publicly responded to Faber’s remarks.
English (US) ·