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Politics and Diplomacy Doc began his political life from a very young age. He attended his first political demonstration–sponsored by the National Independence Party (NIP)–at age fourteen when he marched and carried a placard saying, NO GUATEMALA. It was interesting to note that shortly after, he received a photograph from the Government Information Office of him and his placard in the demonstration. There was no accompanying note, but he assumed that it meant, ‘We have our eyes on you.’ Unfortunately, that photograph has been lost. It was a period of much political activity, charges and counter-charges between the NIP under Philip Goldson and the People’s United Party (PUP) under George Price. The Guatemala unfounded claim was the main issue as the PUP was accused of favoring a relationship with Guatemala. The popular slogan was that the PUP wanted to sell out British Honduras, ‘Lock., Stock, and Barrel.’ The PUP continued from strength to strength, however, and kept winning at the polls.  Doc continued his support for the NIP during his high school and college days, the NIP evolving into ‘The United Democratic Party (UDP) in 1973. Other political parties came to the scene like ‘The People’s Independent Party’ of Corozal-1968, The United Black Association For Development’ (UBAD)-1968, and others. Then Doc went to study at UWI in Jamaica and although he was not physically active politically in Belize, there were many protracted political discussions and arguments lasting all weekend over bottles of Red Strip, Appleton, and Dewar’s. At one point, when Guatemala was massing troops along Belize’s western border and the British Government had to rush troops and Harrier aircrafts into Belize, Doc, who was President of the British Honduras Student’s Association, at the time, along with other Belizean students, including Dean Barrow, staged a protest at the Jamaica National Stadium where a Guatemalan football team was to play. It was peaceful and successful, irrespective of the Police Riot Squad which was nearby, and it was covered by the newspapers and broadcasting stations. There was one incident, however. As the Guatemalans passed, a grinning football player reached over and took one of the placards from one of the student protesters. The placard read, ‘Belice es Nuestro.’ – Belize is Ours.’ Well, these things happen. What could one do? Other than the successful protest, Doc and his team were happy for an additional treat. The Guatemalan team lost the game.
Three years before Independence Doc returned to Belize, after Internship, 1978, just in time for Hurricane Greta, after which he opened his private medical clinic, the Stann Creek Medical Centre. After Independence in 1981, his friend, Margaret (Din Din) Guerrero, convinced him to become a political candidate for the UDP in the upcoming General Elections to be held in 1984. There was a by-election for a seat in the Dangriga Town Board prior to the general Elections in which Doc was the UDP candidate–to get his feet wet. He lost to the PUP, that party being the overwhelming political force in the town, at that time. In 1982, Dr. Theodore Aranda resigned as Leader of the UDP. In 1983, he revived the Christian Democratic Party (CDP). This resulted in Dangriga having three candidates for the constituency seat. The PUP candidate won, as was expected, due to the division of votes between the UDP and the CDP. Doc finished second, the UDP and CDP accumulating more votes that the PUP. The UDP won the General Elections, getting 54.1% of the votes, winning 21 out of 28 seats, an increase of 16. The UDP theme for the election was ‘The Winning Team.’ Unfortunately, immediately after the victory, under the advice of unknown advisors to the new Prime Minister, all the candidates were no longer part of ‘The Winning Theme;’ the candidates were divided between ‘Winners and Losers.’ This was the first step taken towards the disastrous defeat in the following General Elections of 1989. That pretty much took care of Doc’s active political career; he continued tirelessly, however, in supporting the UDP and the nation of Belize. One hard lesson Doc learned was that no politician should open up his family, home, and business to politics. Politics has no place there. All it does is allow ‘wolves in sheep clothing’ to infiltrate your private domain.
Doc then moved on to diplomacy, serving Belize as First Secretary at the Embassy of Belize in Washington DC under Ambassador Edward Laing, then as Chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of Belize in Guatemala. His tenure in Washington DC was standard, but Guatemala was difficult and exciting, the Belize-Guatemala border dispute being at its height, always having armed-guards at home, office, and wherever he and his family went, living in a society where violence and kidnappings were commonplace, where there were erupting volcanos and earthquakes. Doc and his family did not let that deter them and were soon well known and respected. The Reported Press did an article headlined, ‘Dr Anderson Extinguishing Fires In Guatemala.’ The family functioned as a unit, taking the Belizean Anthem and Flag from one end of Guatemala to the other, visiting the Newspapers, attending as many Diplomatic Functions and meetings as possible, bringing sports teams from Belize to play. Stephanie assisted Doc diligently and tirelessly by working along with him at the Embassy. She was also the Vice-President of the Damas Diplomaticas de Guatemala. Doc was the first Belizean Diplomat to host a celebration for Belize’s Independence in Guatemala. It was very successful, being attended by many foreign Diplomats, Belizeans, and even members of the Guatemalan Department of Foreign Affairs. Doc and Stephanie also arranged a trip to Belize for over thirty diplomats and their families. Doc was instrumental in the formation of a Sister-City relationship between Dangriga and Huehuetenango. The Mayor of that municipality visited Dangriga to sign the accord during the Garifuna Day Celebrations that year. On a personal note, Doc and Stephanie hosted a function celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary at their home in Guatemala City. The diplomatic representative of the Holy See was there to bless them. 
Below is a note from the late Ambassador Edward Laing dated December 22, 1994, on the success Doc was accomplishing in Guatemala. My dear Henry, With great interest, bordering on amazement, I’ve just read your report on diplomatic, consular, and personal activities. I would say that you and your family have had the most awesome and diverse experiences of all of Belize’s diplomatic families this year. And, I am sure, you have stood up (while flying the flag) better than most would have done. I, therefore, warmly congratulate you, while empathizing with you on account of the difficulties you have had to undergo. I wish you all a better 1995, although I think the excitement contains elements of utility for Belize – as well you turn disadvantages to opportunities. Many thanks, too, for your generous reference to me. Appreciation from others is a tonic, an elixir, which helps one to withstand some of the daily hardships we undergo. Much love to you all. Eddie L. Jabiru Books Belize LLC thanks you for sharing/forwarding this Newsletter. DR. ANDERSON’S BOOKS ALREADY PUBLISHED Twelve of Dr. Anderson’s works have been published and are available as printed books, print-on-demand books, and e-books. For more information, please go to jabirubooksbelize.com 
Dr. Anderson has begun working on his new book, I dream of Obwandiyag (Pontiac). The story is a fantasy, incorporating the mythology of the endogenous nations in what is now the United States of America. Two young men, one a Dakota Brave named Akíčhita, meaning Warrior, and the other a White Settler named Dolph, meaning Wolf, face their own cultural differences and a great adventure. The timeline is based on historical incidents and is set during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. INFORMATION/LINKS 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/ 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: E-Book 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 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 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. Please note that our Newsletters are also published on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com. 
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