Historian Don Hector Silva Challenges False Narratives at Belmopan Day Celebration

Don Hector Silva, the well-known historian of San Ignacio Town has gone on record expressing dismay at the ignorance and the incorrect information distributed regarding Belmopan’s history.  His insertion of facts as to how Belmopan came about was done last Wednesday via The Morning Show on Love FM.  Despite his clarification on the event, officials at Belmopan Day over the weekend continued with the false narrative as to how the capital city came about.  An official ceremony was held on Saturday at the Mae Gordon Park where the false narrative continued over the establishment of the capital city.  Keynote speaker was Mayor Pablo Cawich.

According to Don Hector, the decision to build Belmopan was made in 1960, fourteen months before Hurricane Hattie made landfall on Belize City.  The 91-year-old historian was the man tasked by the late Right Honorable George Cadle Price in finding a location to construct Belmopan.

The idea to build a new capital was made in 1960 with construction beginning in 1964 and the official inauguration conducted in 1970.  In gratitude of Don Hector Silva’s key contributions to the building of Belmopan, the airstrip on the city’s outskirts was named in his honor