The Belize Government has today released the official list of Belize public and bank holidays for 2012. This is useful for those preparing travel and vacation in Belize as tourists or for resorts or Belize tour operators looking to draw up holiday specials, not to mention businesses that print and publish Belize Calendars. The list of 13 official Belize holidays includes the famous long four day Belize Easter Holiday which in 2012 starts on 6 April.
Travelers and Belizeans should note that while it is not reflected in this list, some holidays in Belize are “dry”, that is alcoholic beverages may not be sold on for example Good Friday or Christmas Day, but enforcement varies according to locality. In any event, most business establishments are closed on these days. Some Belize shops, especially Chinese operated, open for a brief period after six in the evening during holidays.
15 January 2012 Update: The Government of Belize has today announced that an order has been made that Election Day 7 March 2012 shall be a Public and Bank holiday. Note that alcohol shall not be sold on Election Day.
The full text of the release as issued by Minister of Police and Public Safety Douglas Singh through the Belize Press Office:
It is notified for general information that public and bank holidays specified in the First and the Second Schedules to the Holidays Act, Chapter 289 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2003, will be observed on the following days during the year 2012 in accordance with section 3 of the said Act.
| Monday | January 2nd | New Year’s Day (in lieu of Sunday, 1st January) |
| Monday | March 12th | National Heroes and Benefactors Day (in lieu of Friday, 9th March) |
| Friday | April 6th | Good Friday |
| Saturday | April 7th | Holy Saturday |
| Monday | April 9th | Easter Monday |
| Tuesday | May 1st | Labour Day |
| Monday | May 21st | Sovereign’s Day/Commonwealth Day (in lieu of Thursday, 24th May) |
| Monday | September 10th | St. George’s Caye Day |
| Friday | September 21st | Independence Day |
| Monday | October 15th | Pan American Day (in lieu of Friday, 12th October) |
| Monday | November 19th | Garifuna Settlement Day |
| Tuesday | December 25th | Christmas Day |
| Wednesday | December 26th | Boxing Day |
What about September 19,? that should be a public and bank holiday as that is the day when the Right Honorable George Cadle Price father of the nation passed away!!
Indeed Pablo didn’t the PM say something to the effect that this day would be observed as a public and bank holiday…I knew we should have gotten that in writing and signed by the Governor General. Any media house out there “Do you have recordings of the ‘speech’ he gave concerning this ‘Memorial day’ as a holiday?” We the hard-working taxpayers would like one more day of rest!!!
Certainly a Great man like the Rt Honorable George Cadle Price should be honor with a Public and Bank Holiday; He made so much remarkable contributions to Belize …. He is Worth remembering, The Public and bank holiday while make his legacy live on in younger generations as his story will become history to them!