By Brianna Bennett,Governor General
Copyright greaterbelize
Nineteen Honored at the Tribute to Belizean Patriots 2025
Last night, nineteen Belizeans were celebrated for their outstanding service to the nation at the annual Tribute to Belizean Patriots, held at St. John’s Cathedral in Belize City. The ceremony was presided over by Governor General, Dame Froyla Tzalam, on the advice of Prime Minister John Briceño. In her address, the Governor General reminded Belizeans that patriotism is not a once-a-year gesture, but something lived daily through service to the community, protecting the vulnerable, and caring for the environment.
Dame Froyla Tzalam, Governor General
“These Patriots had busy lives, had regular jobs and families, and yet they still chose to contribute outside of those full responsibilities, to give more, to be more. I know their work will continue even as we acknowledge them today. I thank these individuals for their dedication to our country and invite all my fellow Belizeans to join us in celebrating your selflessness.”
Zenida Lanza, Reporting
The annual Tribute to Belizean Patriots was held last night celebrating nineteen proud Belizeans, ranging from educators, entrepreneurs, and medical practitioners. Among them, Jamie Lee Usher was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for her work in education, sports, and technology. Colleagues praised her as a trailblazer in STEM, committed to mentoring the next generation.
Voice of: Matthew Douglas
“ I’d like to look at Ms. Jamie Usher as a pioneer. Ms. Usher is really one to be bold. She, I wouldn’t say fierce, but I would just use, she’s bold, she’s courageous, and she’s leading in, in these, particular STEM activities and she is trying to show us the way forward, the next steps to take and so forth is usually very comforting. So me, I really think she has the right attitude, approach and also to the meaning about the way forward, especially as far as STEM and STEAM is concerned.”
Paired together, Usher and Godfrey Sosa Jr. received Awards of Merit as visionary educators. They’ve transformed STEM and robotics education in Belize, guiding students to the 2022 First Global Robotics Challenge. Despite personal health challenges, Sosa pioneered robotics as a national sport and led Belize to its first gold medal in the field.
Dr. Carol Babb
“ In spite of all his medical problems, he has not given up. He even started the IT program there. He also started a robotics competition for his high schools across the country. In order to qualify to become a Belizean Patriot, you must make sacrifices. You must go beyond the call of duty, and he has done that.”
Seventeen Belizeans received Meritorious Service Awards, while two were honored with Distinguished Service Awards. In the medical field, Dr. Jane Crawford was recognized for more than two decades of advancing veterinary medicine and animal welfare. She has improved the health of domestic animals and wildlife, while mentoring the next generation of animal doctors.
Dr. Joe Myers
“Jane is a very caring, very empathetic, very selfless person. And it’s not only by words, by action. And I would summarize by saying if emotional intelligence was a person, that would be Jane Theresa Crawford. Jane topped her class at the Belize College of Agriculture. She was the valedictorian. She went to Cuba, earned a scholarship to go to Cuba, and she also excelled. She was in a group of, they would call it the talented students. Then she came back and was employed at the Animal Medical Center, where she did mostly, or does mostly small animal clinics, but she’s also very good in large animals and wildlife. She’s a basically know it all in the veterinarian profession.”
The awards continued throughout the night, honoring each recipient’s contributions and celebrated their legacy as a foundation for future generations, leading up to our forty-fourth year of Belizean Independence. Reporting for News Five, I’m Zenida Lanza.
