Minister of Human Development Remembers Queen Elizabeth II

This afternoon, Minister of Human Development Dolores Balderamos-Garcia shared her recollections of the Queen of England and her legacy as head of the Commonwealth.  She began by extending condolences to the Royal Family.

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

On the phone: Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“Condolences to her family, her immediate family, the British people and all of us in the Commonwealth.  As you know, she has really seen off, you could say, fifteen British prime ministers, her reign has been so long and recently she celebrated her Platinum Jubilee of seventy years on the throne.  Now regardless of what we might feel about the continuation of the monarchy, I believe that the Commonwealth has been a very, very good and sound organization for us to belong to and it has really benefited our people.  As you know, Belize is considered one of the realms of Queen Elizabeth II, fourteen countries that still have the queen or the monarch as our titular head of state; however, we belong to the wider community of the fifty-odd Commonwealth nations.  And I do have a very soft spot for the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth sponsored a portion of my education, I can mention that, and also my sister.  She was a Queen’s Guide at the age of sixteen.  So going through the many years, not only as a colony, but also as an independent country in the Commonwealth, I think the Queen has been a really shining example of service.  She has served with dignity, with distinction and with compassion, and so, as she is laid to rest and there’s a passing of the baton, as you would say, I really want to acknowledge her many, many years of service, especially to the Commonwealth and of course extending the condolences and marking such a long and distinguished reign.”