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 The Tragedy Of The EML: A Forgotten Story In April 1923, mid-afternoon, a mailboat, the EML, bound for the northern towns and postal stations, sank off the British Honduras coast (Now Belize) in a storm. She should never have set sail and the actions of the owner, captain, and crew cost the lives of 18 people. The EML was grossly overloaded with both passengers and cargo, and leaking dangerously. Professor Donia Scott lays out the facts of this near-forgotten tragedy and recalls those directly affected by it.
 Two years ago, I posted on a Central American Historical site the result of my research on a shipwreck that happened exactly 100 years before: 10th April, 1923. It is something of a family story, as my grandmother and her five children were on board; one child drowned. It is a tale of greed, cowardice, governmental corruption, and high-level cover-up by the British Colonial Government of the time. It’s a tale that has set many hearts racing and brought tears. There followed much discussion about the need for a physical memorial to the victims of the shipwreck, especially given the miscarriage of justice that led to their deaths being brushed aside. Instead of asking for donations by starting a fundraising campaign for the memorial, I have published their story as this book, available for purchase on Amazon. All author proceeds will go towards raising a fitting memorial to the 18 souls who drowned, to be probably sited in Corozal, Belize. I encourage you to buy a copy and pass the word on. It has a low price and is for an important cause. Without your support, the much-overdue memorial will not happen and the history will once again fade into obscurity. Donia Scott The book is available as both an E-book and Print-on-Demand. Consider purchasing a copy of The Tragedy Of The EML: A Forgotten Story and support the memorial cause. Go to: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=donia+scott&crid=UJF1Q6YHHKNG&sprefix=donia+scott%2Caps%2C277&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_11 https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=Donia+Scott&text=Donia+Scott&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books-uk Donia Scott is a Professor of Computational Linguistics at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom. She is of Belizean/Jamaican heritage. Belize Book Industry Association: BOOK WEEK “From the mountains to the sea, stories set us free!” 
April is the month to celebrate books and reading and, once again, BBIA is preparing for the event. This year, two days have been selected for the celebration. The first day, April 23rd (International Book and Copyright Day), will be observed at public libraries nationwide. The libraries will host a variety of activities for all ages, including book readings, storytelling sessions, workshops, and interactive displays to promote literacy and a love for books. The second day, Tuesday, April 29th, all will gather at Dangriga’s Ignacia Cacho Public Library for the official opening ceremony and main event. Activities will begin at 9:00 AM and conclude at 6:00 PM, and will include author talks, book exhibitions, cultural performances, and community engagement activities. This will be followed by the annual Literary Evening. Book Week 2025 is a national celebration of reading, storytelling, and Belizean literature. This year’s theme is “From the mountains to the sea, stories set us free!”—a tribute to the power of stories to connect us across communities, cultures, and landscapes. Book Week is an opportunity to bring together readers, writers, and communities in a shared celebration of the written word. Whether you're a student, teacher, author, book lover, or merely interested, you are invited to be a part of this vibrant literary experience. POETRY 
Poetry is a form of artistic expression that uses language to evoke emotion, paint vivid imagery, and convey complex ideas. It is a means of communicating human experiences and emotions in a way that is both powerful and evocative. National Poetry Month-USA, a celebration of poetry which takes place each April, was introduced in 1996 and is organized by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States. The Academy of American Poets' website Poets.org serves as a hub for information about local poetry events during the month. The organization also provides free educational resources to teachers for classroom celebrations and activities, and commissions an annual festival poster. Since 1998, National Poetry Month has also been celebrated each April in Canada. Our Belize, a small country nestled in Central America, boasts a diverse and captivating culture influenced by its Maya, African, European, and Caribbean roots. From its lush rainforests to its crystal-clear waters, Belize's natural beauty and cultural heritage have inspired countless poets to capture its essence in their verses. Many of our poets, however, also reach beyond their Belizean heritage. Below is the poem, The Hand Of God, from the book Christ Son Of Man – The Voyage to Araboth II, written by Dr. Henry Anderson and which is dedicated to his son Henry. The book is a Science Fiction/Religious novel set in the year AD 2372.
THE HAND OF GOD I pray The Hand of God protect you That you may journey home to me; I pray The Hand of God to keep you Safe from the dangers that may be; For, I will always love you. As I look to the Heavens at night I know that far in the deepness of space, Where suns are born and galaxies collide You travel not alone, for though I’m not with you, My spirit reaches out And our souls meet in The Hand of God. I know that God will shelter you, As you boldly go to distant realms, New stars, new worlds, of God’s tomorrow. Safely sail that you return to me, For I will always love you. And though I do not see your distant light, Nor know what strange sights you behold On that dark sea where hidden dangers wait, I dream of you beside me. A voyage takes you far from me, Beyond the deep where darken dangers dwell. Suns blaze as suns die, Planets form and comets pass by, Rainbows reach from the depths of space, I pray The Hand of God Will guide your tasks and make you safe; What dangers there I cannot tell, The Hand of God will guide you well. And should all be lost, The voyage wrecked without a shore, Gone the forlorn hope, The Hand of God will come for you, To comfort and to love, The Hand of God will bring you home, And I will always love you. I’ll close my eyes, be there beside you, For I will always love you. 
If you know someone who would like to receive our monthly Newsletter, please have them go to CONTACT at our website and send us an e-mail: http://jabirubooksbelize.com Please note that our Newsletters are also published on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Thank you for forwarding and sharing this Newsletter. BOOKS WRITTEN BY DR. HENRY W. ANDERSON
Add these great books to your personal library for your reading pleasure in 2025  Are you looking for novels, short stories, poems, you will find nowhere else, a book like CUBES that explores USA Society, books that will take you from the depths of space to the eye of a hurricane? Or, perhaps, you would like to sail with the sea captains of Belize as they face violent storms, ghost ships, and specters on lonely islands. The great Sisimito Series invites you to live an unforgettable adventure within the pristine jungles of Belize, the dangerous world of Sisimito and the Jungle folk, the magnificent city of Ox Witz Ha and the Maya Civilization. Soon to be published is Dr. Henry W. Anderson’s latest book, I Dream of Obwaandi’eyaag (Pontiac), Buffalo and Prairies, which brings to you the mythology, battles, and struggles of the Indigenous Nations of North America in an outstanding adventure. Dr. Henry W. Anderson’s books are available as E-books and Print-on-Demand at store.bookbaby.com (BookBaby Bookshop), recommended, and other worldwide retailers: For store.bookbaby.com, go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/jabirubooksbelizecom Please visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com Soon to be published: SISIMITO V - THE FALL OF YAXCHÉ; The final book of the extraordinary Sisimito Series. I DREAM OF OBWAANDI’EYAAG (PONTIAC), BUFFALO AND PRAIRIES. BOOK ONE. The works by Dr. Henry W. Anderson are available at the libraries of the Belize National Library Service and Information System. For more information, please go to: https://www.bnlsis.org/ Once on the website, you may go to ‘Public Library Catalogue’ then to ‘Subject;’ select ‘Author’ and put in Henry Anderson; or use the link below to go directly to Dr. Anderson books: https://bnlsis.mlasolutions.com/m5/catalog/(S(tsaodaxofc2mvp3zhpl4wwt2))/Default.aspx?internal=1&installation=LeoBradley Dr. Henry W. Anderson books are also available as E-books and Print-on-Demand at store.bookbaby.com (BookBaby Bookshop), recommended, and other worldwide retailers: Other E-Book Retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Vearsa, Kobo, OverDrive, Copia, Gardners Books, Baker & Taylor, eSentral, Scribd, Ciando, hoopla, Playster, and many more. Other Print-on-Demand Retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s and thousands of other stores and wholesale bookstore catalogs like Ingram and Baker & Taylor, around the world. For store.bookbaby.com, go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/jabirubooksbelizecom Visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com 
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