Dubu Needs Help for Iguana Street Field

For decades, Albert Hoy Field, better known as Dubu Field, has been a hub for youth football and community sports on Belize City’s southside. But the man who has spent much of his life maintaining the grounds says the facility is now in desperate need of help. Long-time caretaker Bernard “Dubu” Thomas says he has poured his own time, labor and even his salary into keeping the field playable, often with little outside support. Now, as he prepares to retire later this year, Thomas is calling on authorities and the community to step in and help uplift the facility that has served generations of young athletes. Here is how he explains the challenges facing the field and the improvements he hopes to see.

 

Bernard “Dubu” Thomas, Iguana Street Resident

“Nobody contribute nothing to this playground here, only Bernard “Dubu” Thomas. I make a salary from sport council. All my money goh pan this football field, all. So I plan fu retire end of this year ya and take my money and invest pan the stadium because I know the goodness of the stadium. But the ministers of sports them, all of them, they don’t give about this compound. And it’s so sad, when I talk they hate me but I have to talk cause da me the feel the consequences. I the chop this field ya over sixty years by myself, by myself. I take lot of licking for this field.”

 

Shane Williams

“Now Tell us what are your plans for the field. What the field needs?”

 

Bernard “Dubu” Thomas

“My plans for the field right now da I want try get some paint. I want repair some bleachers them. I want get the gate fixed. Right now ah need bout three to four bulbs. So lotta things the field need. I noh get nothing from Mr. Mahler but ah still love ah cause I noh blame he. I blame the office. Because maybe the letter noh reach he. Soh I noh blame Mr. Mahler. Mr. Mahler me no blame you know. But Mr. Mahler you have to look into people like we. Me, Mr. Pilaf, this lee boy again. We into children. Unu have to help we. Unu have to come and help we.”

 

Now that Dubu is stepping back, he’s calling on the community and sports leaders to finally step up and save the southside field he’s kept alive for decades.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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