Nation Builder

MS SUSIE VEGA
Elizabeth Pridgeon

Ms Susie Vega, current President of the Orange Walk branch of the Belize National Teachers’ Union, has been a phenomenal force in the education sector of northern Belize – not only in her varying roles with the BNTU, but also in her capacity as a long-standing member of staff at the town’s high schools, and as an active member of the Orange Walk community.

At an early age, Ms Vega moved to Orange Walk with her parents and siblings, and enrolled first at La Inmaculada Primary School, and then on to Muffles High School and St John’s College Sixth Form in Belize City.  Upon graduation from St. John’s, Ms. Susie accepted the post of teacher at Orange Walk Technical High School, where she trained in a range of subjects including accounting, office procedures, English literature and Spanish.  However, Ms Susie became increasingly aware that in order to better cater to the needs of her students, and to better prepare them for the future, she required further education herself, and in the late 1980s Ms Susie enrolled at the University of Belize in Business Administration.

During her student years, Ms Susie was elected President of the Student Government Association, which was the beginning of Ms Susie’s public representational roles.  Throughout her time as President, Ms Susie organised various fundraising activities, she raised various social issues to the debating arena, and she was instrumental in establishing regional communication between tertiary educational institutions across Central America and the Caribbean with the ambition of sharing ideas in order to improve the regional educational framework.

Upon graduation from the UB, Ms Susie returned to her teaching post at Orange Walk Technical High School, where she completed ten years of service before moving on to Muffles Junior College to tutor in finance and accounting.  Shortly afterwards, she once again relocated to the High School section of Muffles, where she took over a staggering amount of responsibility for teaching various subjects, including Accounting, Type-writing and World Processing, Literature, Social Studies, Spanish, Economics and Caribbean History.  Alongside her teaching role, Ms Susie volunteered to foster in her students a greater appreciation of their cultural heritage, and she initiated Dia de la Hispanidad (Culture Day), which has since become a popular annual event for residents across Orange Walk, not just students of Muffles High School.  Ms Susie never lost sight of the importance of cultural revival and self-identification, and she believes a lot of her self-confidence is a result of the immense pride she feels in her Mestizo/Maya/Aztec roots.  She is disturbed by the obvious signs of local youth being unable to connect to their ethnic heritage – signs such as inappropriate behaviour, dress, language and music – and her recommendation to Belizeans to overcome this hurdle is to turn to God in prayer – as a nation.

Ever since her initial involvement in the teaching community of Orange Walk in the 1980s, Ms Susie has been a member of the Belize National Teachers’ Union.  Since then, she has fulfilled numerous roles with the union, and has on numerous occasions been elected officer prior to her election last year as President of the Orange Walk branch.  She is now the key coordinator for over 300 members from 39 schools across the district, and she represents her members on a national and international level, whilst creating discourse with other members and groups within her own district.  Her role also requires her to stimulate communication between members through activities such as education week, teachers’ day and cultural conventions.  Her ultimate aim is to stand up for the rights of teachers, and whilst she has had to overcome fear, bias and criticism at times, she knows that the subsequent fair and peaceful decision making processes are a worthwhile result of her hard work and determination.

Despite her already hectic schedule, Ms Susie also enjoys membership to the La Inmaculada Choral Group, which not only performs in Church and elsewhere on a fortnightly basis, but is also currently hosting weekly practices in preparation for recording a CD of their church songs in mid-February.  As if this were not sufficient in the way of extra-curricular activity, Ms Susie is also an active member of the Belize Association for the Development of the Arts (BADA), with whom she is currently directing a cultural play entitled “Maya Stand Up” which should be performed in April of this year.

Through all Ms Susie’s roles, she has touched the lives of hundreds – probably thousands – of Orangewalkaños: not merely those whom she teaches, but her colleagues, fellow BNTU members, peers from choir, and actors and promoters with BADA.  She has truly had a changing effect on Orange Walk town and has been responsible for numerous positive and developmental changes to the district.  Her tireless work leaves her little room for improvement, other than fulfilling her ambition to spend more quality time with her four children and their respective families.

Anyone who is willing to sacrifice quality family time for the betterment of their local society deserves a medal.  The best we can do – for now – is recognise her as this week’s Belize Times’ Nation Builder.

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