While there is hostility in the sports world and tension at the Jalacte border between Belize and our Western neighbor, there was only goodwill to Guatemala in City Hall today as Mayor Darrell Bradley welcomed his counterparts from the city of San Benito, Peten. The visit included the Mayor, Sonia Rivera and councilors of San Benito as well as members of Congress from Guatemala City. It's a reciprocal visit after Mayor Bradley went to San Benito in January. An agreement on the establishment of a Sister City Relationship was signed between the municipalities of San Benito Petén and Belize City. The mayor explained the significance of this:..
Mayor Darrell Bradley
"This visit of today is the exchange and response to that visit, so that the same way that they have extended a hand of friendship to us now we respond in kind and we are signing today a document that will signal a formal friendship between the City of San Benito and the City of Belize. So that we are able to exchange ideas, share knowledge, cultural experiences, history, challenges and the hope for a brighter future for the people for both our cities. Today is a beginning of what we hope will be a great friendship. It signals the first sister city relationship that any city in Belize has had with any city in Guatemala and how grand that it should be San Benito so close to us our neighbor and our friend to the west. I was very warmed of hearing the personal and testimony of
Alcaldesa Rivera that she has spent 17 years living in Belize - that she has two sisters still living in the village of Cotton Tree - that her daughter goes to school Belize. When we went to San Benito, we were there on the founding of San Benito and it was shared with us that the City of San Benito was founded by the Belizeans. Our very own Deputy Mayor's grandmother is from San Benito. It is significant that at this time we formed a relationship with someone who is so very much like us."
The Guatemalan officials will be hosted in Belize until Sunday.
Email
Print