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 Jules Vasquez Named Caribbean Defender of Media Freedom. Congratulations! From the article: #FrontlineBelize #JulesVasquez #MediaFreedom  GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Veteran Belizean journalist Jules Vasquez of 7News Belize has been named the 2026 CBU-CMIA Caribbean Defender of Media Freedom. He received the inaugural regional award during the opening ceremony of the 57th Caribbean Broadcasting Union Annual General Assembly at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Georgetown, Guyana. The award, established jointly by the Caribbean Broadcasting Union and the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, recognizes outstanding journalism, courageous reporting and contributions to protecting and advancing media freedom across the Caribbean. Vasquez emerged as the recipient from among three regional nominees, including Wesley Gibbins and the Media Institute of the Caribbean. The recognition marks a significant achievement for Belizean journalism and places Vasquez among leading advocates for press freedom across the region. Frontline Belize congratulates Jules Vasquez on the prestigious honour. The Queen of the Bay
 The Queen of the Bay Pageant was first held in 1946 and was organized by a retired civil servant by the name of Monrad Metzgen who was a member of the Loyal and Patriotic Order of the Baymen (L&POB). The contestants were young ladies who represented different Houses such as World War II Veterans, Dick Fairweather, Cassian Waight, Simon Lamb, Thomas Paslow (St. George’s Caye), and others. The first Queen of the Bay to be crowned was Rita Lewis. Mr. Roderick Augustus “Father” Pitts, a civil servant and a member of the L&POB, made his contribution by writing the famous Proclamation, “O Yea, O Yea”, that is read at the ceremonial crowning of the Queen of the Bay.(From an article by Conrad Edison Staine) The Queen of the Bay Pageant continues until this day and celebrates the beauty, intelligence, and poise of Belizean women; the pageant has substantial historical significance and is a cherished cultural event. Listen to the Queen of the Bay song; visit the link below. You may even want to do a few curtseys. Music and Words by Eloise Humes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLUQNsdfQww Stamps celebrate Belize's Heritage: Listen to Queen of the Bay, Samanta Ramirez, talk about the $10 stamp honouring the Queen of the Bay. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HfJHLM2LN/
The 81st Queen of the Bay Pageant, 2026, will be held on August 29, 7 pm, at the Belize Civic Center. The official delegates for the 2026 pageant include: 
Publishers Note: Our Newsletter # 014, August 2023—Belize September Celebrations! The Battle Of St. George’s Caye! The Queen Of The Bay! Independence Day! has many articles of historical interest, information on books written by Lt. Col. D.N.A. Fairweather and Emory King, photos, and poems. Please go to the link below for the newsletter. https://jabirubooksbelize.com/campaigns/867160 Gerald ‘Lord’ Rhaburn
Gerald "Lord" Rhaburn is one of our most outstanding musicians; he specialized in calypso, soca, and bruckdown. He became famous when performing with the Lord Rhaburn Combo in the 1970s and 1980s. He toured frequently abroad promoting Belizean music and in 2004 he hosted the first Lord Rhaburn Music Awards, an annual Belizean music awards show. On September 9, 2022, during the Living Legend Concert, the plaza near Memorial Park was officially named, Lord Rhaburn Plaza. He is a musical and cultural legend. Lord Rhaburn has received countless local and international awards and recognitions including the Teen Lifetime Achievement Award in Chicago, 1999; he is a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE); and he was welcomed into the International Reggae and World Music Hall of Fame in 2005. His music is popular throughout Belize, especially during the September National Celebrations. Throughout our celebrations, the lyrics to songs like “Born Deh, Pump It Up, Bud Bank Wedding,” bring lively rhythms to all Belizeans as we commemorate our country's independence and cultural heritage, showcasing Belizean pride and unity with parades, music, and cultural activities. Lord Rhaburn Combo was always at the tail of the Tenth Day Of September parade where the participants were much less formal.
 To enjoy some of Lord Rhaburn’s music, go to the link below. This collection includes some September Celebrations songs: Bird’s Isle is Forever—The Lord Rhaburn Combo Featuring Sam Hamilton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZeFdY8ZkCo&list=PLQXW1plAFIpDgvAk7jAR-YJAu_0AFFVmo  Newsletters Update. All our Newsletters are now archived at the Blog section of our website. Read these interesting and informative Newsletters: http://jabirubooksbelize.com If you know someone who would like to receive our monthly Newsletter, please have them go to CONTACT on our website and send us an e-mail. Please note that our monthly 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. They are available as e-books and printed books.  INFORMATION/LINKS Dr. Anderson books are available both as Print-on-Demand and E-Books at store.bookbaby.com (Recommended by Publishers). Please go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/jabirubooksbelizecom Dr. Anderson’s books are available at the libraries of the Belize National Library Service and Information System. Search under Author: Henry W Anderson. Please go to: https://bnlsis.mlasolutions.com/m5/catalog/(S(tsaodaxofc2mvp3zhpl4wwt2))/Default.aspx?internal=1&installation=LeoBradley E-Books are available at other Retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Vearsa, Kobo, OverDrive, Copia, Gardners Books, Baker & Taylor, eSentral, Scribd, Ciando, Hoopla, Playster, and many more. Print-on-Demand books are available at some of the Retailers listed. Please visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com 
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