25 YEARS AGO ON AMBERGRIS CAYE   BY ANGEL NUÑEZ

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Ramon Nuñez

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Ramon Nuñez was raised in this humble village of San Pedro by his parents, Cruz and Regina Nuñez, along with eight other brothers and one sister. He was the youngest of the boys and second to the last m the family. At the end of elementary school, Ramon had the desire for further education, but, like everyone else on the island, not the resources nor the opportunity. So at age 14, Ramon was mending nets, setting up fish traps, hauling fish nets, corning fish, sailing to Belize City or Corozal Town to sell fish. Also at age 14, he was drinking as was the trademark of fishermen in those days. He was travelling to Puerto Cortez, Honduras to sell fish and to have adventures with the "easy girls". He was a skinny sun-baked skin diver with yellow bleached hair. Yes, he had to roll his pants half way up his ankle, opened up his shirt and had to have a tattoo of a heart and some girl's name in the heart. Ramon was the rolemodel fisherman - adventurous, and with 3 or 4 girlfriends at the same time. (Don't know which name ended up ih the tattoo) San Pedro's best dancer in waltz, bolero and merengue or salsa was Ramon during his time. He even attempted to learn the accordion, which was popular then.

His marriage to Micaela Ayuso produced three children. And later, the same great personality and charisma in dealing with people led him to become involved in the tourism business. To tell the truth, if Paradise Hotel got a good name, it was because of Ramon. Vlsitors returned time and time again because Ramon was there. Then he moved to manage The Aqua Lodge and Ramon's Too, later to become El Playador Hotel. There too Ramon uplifted the services, seeded his charisma, and left his trademark - THE WARMTH AND FRIENDLINESS OF RAMON NUÑEZ. By then Ramon was a most wanted person in the hotel business. Better pay or better opportunities - only he knows, but in due time he was promoting and adding the same touches to Ramon's Reef Resort, later to develop into Ramon's Village where he is the Alcalde or Mayor. He is the mastermind and magnet that has converted Ramon's Village into one of San Pedro's and Belize's most prestigious resorts.

Ramon has also ventured into other services like motorcycle rental, golf calt rentals, real estate and office rentals. He is willing to work with a janitor, chauffeur his guests around San Pedro, and even brush shoulders with honorables and doctors and ambassadors. His many conlacts and acquaintances have taken him lo visit places many San Pedranos can only dream of. He has visited and toured San Andres, Cartajena and Bogota in Columbia. Then he toured Panama, Costa Rica. Managua. Tegucigalpa, Guatemala and El .Salvador in Central America. Ramon has visited 15 cities in Mexico. including Mexico City, and 20 cities in the U.S.A. In Europe he has been to Bucharest in Romania, Frankfurt in Germany, Bangkok in Asia, Ukraine, Russia, New Delhi, India, Seoul, Korea, Amsterdam in Holland, Oslo in Norway and Sweden. All of these visits abroad have made Ramon one of San Pedro's most travelled persons, giving him a wealth of experience and appreciation of foreign cultures.

Ramon Nuñez actively supports the San Pedro Crime Committee, the police force, the sporting association and sports teams, beauty pageants, schools and service organizations as well as many poor families in San Pedro. This is a genuine San Pedrano, who has a vision and follows the will of his heart. It is with a sense of pride and respect that this column welcomes Ramon Nuñez to SAN PEDRO'S HALL OF FAME.

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