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Four days after he and a young family of four were killed in a plane crash in San Pedro – Belize said goodbye to Sir Barry Bowen today. The interment was at the cemetery in San Ignacio this afternoon but the official ceremony for the bottling magnate, former Senator, and Honorary Consul was held in Belize at St. John’s Cathedral. We’ll take you inside the Cathedral shortly but we begin first with his funeral procession. We were along the entire route. Keith Swift reports.

Keith Swift Reporting,
The official funeral procession for Sir Barry Bowen departed from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital at 9 am on the dot. Sir Barry Bowen’s flag draped coffin was escorted by the BDF Marching Band and transported on a military gurney. Immediately behind the casket was Bowen’s family – riding in his trademark Ford Broncos. The procession slowly wound its way through the main streets of the city….down Freetown Road, across Mapp Street, onto North Front Street, across the Swing Bridge and then Albert Street for the final stretch.

The entire route was lined with spectators – most of them were hundreds of primary school students. But there were crowds of just regular Belizeans who lined the street to watch and pay respect to the Belizean giant.

Ruth Sebastian,
“I knew him from I was a little girl, my father used to work with him but he was a patriotic guy for Belize. I feel like I would want to cry right now because I knew him a long time ago but such is life, we have to go somewhere.”

Man #1,
“I think he is a great benefactor to the country and it is a well deserved chance to show appreciation…I am saddened by his death. He did so much for the country and I think they are paying him great respect, deservedly so.”

Jean Ysaguierre,
“I think that he was a very good man. He helped Belize a lot. It is a pity he had to go. I feel sad.”

Clarence Gentle,
“I knew him personally, I worked with the man for at least 21 years. It is a big loss for the country and the poor people in this country.”

Ernest Meighan,
“It is a loss for our country because he did a lot for the country. Whenever we had events he would be one of the persons to sponsor and so it is a big loss we have here. It is kind of sad really; really sad.”

And while Sir Barry Bowen might not have known them, these Belizeans say they knew him.

Woman #1,
“I will always remember him because I am a Methodist and whenever we had our fairs he would donate in whatever way. Even though he didn’t give me anything personally, he gave to my church and schools. It moves me because you know that somebody that cares about Belize and Belizean people has passed away.”

Ronald Stuart,
“I think he made an important contribution to the country of Belize. He is now gone and it is left to his successors to carry on with what the companies are doing.”

And then there are those who didn’t know Sir Barry or of him but of his products.

Nikita,
“I didn’t know the Mr. Bowen.”

Keith Swift,
“You drink his Coca Cola and Sprite though.”

Nikita,
“Well we enjoy that, that’s all I could say. I hope whosoever is in charge now keep our Coke and thing. That is all we worry about because we didn’t know the man.”

But judging by today’s turnout - his legacy however is destined to be much greater.