Even if you've seen the Belize flag go up at midnight - every time since 1981 - it should still give a small shiver - when the royal blue with red trim is put aloft against the September sky.

Here's how it looked this year:...

Jules Vasquez reporting
After the flag raising, the cannons and the fireworks which lit up the night sky

the ceremony moved to the capital in Belmopan - and the main event - Independence day addresses by both major mass party leaders.

Opposition Leader Fonseca warned of serious challenges:

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of The Opposition
"But as responsible citizens and leaders we are aware that on Monday after we've shaken off the residue of month long revelry serious challenges await us as a nation. We know them only too well - 30,000 Belizeans actively seeking a job cannot find one. 148,500 Belizeans living on less than $5.50 per day for food. The scourge of violent crime threatens our social fabric. Less than 50% of our children are completing secondary schools. Oil revenues are on the decline, foreign direct investment remains elusive and the unfounded Guatemalan claim persists."

"Challenges yes, but no one dare question the viability of our beloved nation."

In his address the Prime Minister would address crime, but first her started out with a major announcement that drew the biggest applause of the day:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"The Government of Belize, in conjunction with the National September Celebrations Committee, is officially renaming the Western Highway the George Price Highway; and the Northern Highway the Philip SW Goldson Highway." Applause

And there was also applause for the Prime Minister's chest beating about Foreign Direct Investment:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"The Cassandras who predicted the stalling and drying up of foreign investment as a consequence of the nationalizations, have been completely confounded by events."

"Exhibit one in this context is the 200 million dollar investment of ASR in Belize's sugar industry, and the Green Tropic project to plant cane in Cayo. Also, the Bowen shrimp farm is back up and running thanks to significant foreign equity partnership."

But there were no major announcements of populist initiatives, no lower light or cheaper internet this year - and there was no applause for the announcement about policing initiative for a crime problem that just won't go away:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"We have tried well-nigh everything. Yet far from permanently improving, the situation overall seems merely to get slightly better, then worse again. But if this challenge won't go away any time soon, neither can our determination to confront it."

"The Police are forming a number of additional specialized intelligence and operational units in order to ramp up the continuing interdiction efforts. Likewise, a Cabinet subcommittee has been appointed to work with Restore Belize on a new, sustainable strategy for getting youths out of the hellhole of nihilism and violence that is gang life in Belize."

And after that down - note, the PM did his best to muster some momentum for a graceful closing:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Nation building is indeed a task for giants. Giants that, in relation to our problems, will be steeled by God's reassurance to Jeremiah: attack you they will, overcome you they can't."

The Leader of the Opposition's Speech was 17 minutes long while the Prime Minister's was 21 minutes.