School Guest Speaker Certificate - PDF - PDF

							Introduction of the Guest Speaker



Reverend C. David Goff-Chairman of the Board of Management of Wesley
College/Wesley Junior College, Other members of the Board, Mrs.
McKenzie, Chief Magistrate of Belize, Ministry of Education representative,
Mrs. Brenda Armstrong – President of Wesley Junior College, Mrs.
Winsome Arana – Acting Dean, Faculty and Staff of W.J.C., Parents Guests
and Fellow graduates.

I wish to introduce a woman who has faithfully served in the Magistracy for
18-19 years, and has served this country in that capacity. I am very proud
of the fact that she is the first Belizean woman to serve as Chief Magistrate
in Belize. Being a part of the Magistracy since 1989, Mrs. Margaret Gabb-
McKenzie has demonstrated professionalism and conscientiousness in her
duties which has paid off tremendously in making her Belize’s first female
chief Magistrate.

Her career commenced in the Civil service in 1989, when she first served as
a summons clerk. Determined to achieve success, a year later in 1990, she
took and passed the second class exams. In hopes of furthering her career,
Mrs. Margaret Gabb-McKenzie took classes for the first class exams during
the day, while pursuing paralegal studies at night. All her hard work was
compensated for when she was appointed assistant Clerk of Courts.
Discovering her niche, Mrs. Margaret McKenzie -Gabb became a member
of the lay Magistracy in 1994.

However, prior to her involvement in the legal arena, Mrs. Gabb-McKenzie
graduated from Wesley College and started off working as a lab technician.
She also worked in the maintenance section at the Fort George Hotel, as a
Sales Clerk at Brodies Supermarket, and supervisor at Save-U supermarket.

Foreseeing her career as a magistrate, she enrolled at the University of the
West Indies School of Continuing Studies in Belize City. Thereafter, she
attended the Law Faculty at UWI in Cave Hill, Barbados for the next two
years, and a final year at Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica where she
completed her Certificate in Legal Education.

Equipped with her paralegal certificate, Bachelor of Law degree and
Certificate in Legal Education, Mrs. McKenzie was appointed as a fully-
fledged magistrate, in 2001.

Aside from her duties as a qualified magistrate, Mrs. McKenzie–Gabb also
served as a teacher of Paralegal studies, constitutional and Tort Law at the
University of Belize, and in the A-level Law program at the UWI School of
Continuing Studies in Belize City.

She is also known to be rather stern in her duties, Mrs. Gabb-McKenzie is
an ideal role model, and in a crime filled society, as we currently reside in,
persons of such character and integrity are necessary to ensure justice in
our community. As a mother, Grand-Mother and Chief Magistrate, Mrs.
Margaret Gabb-McKenzie strides with excellence and professionalism.

Mrs. Margaret McKenzie, we are honored to have you address us this
evening.

Thank you.