Domingo Peres and family

    Domingo Perez was born on December 20th, 1949 in the village of Trinidad in the Orange Walk District. The son of Joaquin Perez and Eluteria Castillo, he grew up running around the farm and enjoying many adventures in the village among his 11 brothers and sisters.

    Domingo completed his primary education at San Lazaro and Trinidad Roman Catholic School. Seeing the potential he had, Domingo's teacher advised his father to encourage him to continue his education. At that time, there was no high school in his home village so, in order to give his son a better education, Domingo's father sold everything they had and moved the family to Orange Walk Town in 1961. There, Domingo enrolled at Muffles College in 1962 where he studied General Studies and graduated in 1966.

    After graduation, Domingo went to work for The General Workers Union, an organization that worked toward better benefits and salaries for all workers. By 1975, he was the General Secretary of the largest Workers Union in Belize at that time.

    On July 27th, 1969, Domingo married the love of his life, Osi Madera. Together, the couple had eight children (seven girls and one boy): Andre, Mildred, Tania, Nadia, Zhenia, Xunan, Daryani and Sahsil. They all completed secondary and tertiary levels of education. Domingo is also the proud grandfather of 10 grandchildren, and says that all he has is for them. He works hard in order to set a good example for them.

    In the early 70s, Domingo traveled twice to Virginia, USA to further his education at the American Institute of Labor Development. In order to attend special labor development conferences, Domingo traveled all over the world to places like Jamaica, Trinidad, Costa Rica, West Germany, Moscow, Prada, Czechoslovakia and Cuba. He brought back with him all of this knowledge and strived to make Belize a better place for all workers of the country.

    After dedicating 11 years to labor development, Domingo decided to venture out on his own. In 1981, he bought a farm and livestock and traveled to Taiwan to study Agriculture and Livestock, to better his own enterprise. Domingo also opened a tortilla factory and store in Orange Walk called "Independiente Food Center."

    Later, his son Andre moved to San Pedro to "try his luck." He bought the island's bakery and named it "La Popular Bakery." Andre told his father about the opportunities and business potential in San Pedro. Encouraged by this information, Domingo uprooted his family once more and moved to Ambergris Caye.

    The Perez family arrived in San Pedro at Easter time 1998. Domingo also brought the family's business to the island, renaming it "La Popular Tortilleria." After a few years of hard work he was able to expand and opened "La Popular Store." Domingo proudly stated, "This business is a family business and everybody 'pitches' in. Apart from being a good wife and mother, Osi is also my 'right hand'."

    In 2000, Domingo was given an opportunity to help his community. Domingo was elected as part of the town council and his responsibilities included Housing and Planning, and assisting the mayor in daily activities. He performed his job with pride and did everything he could to improve things for the residents of San Pedro.

    In October of that same year, Hurricane Keith destroyed both La Popular Tortilla Factory and the store. "It was like starting all over again," Domingo recalls. "We had to buy all our machinery and grocery inventory again. It was a big loss." However, little by little, the Perez family got back on their feet. "It has been hard but we are very happy with what we have accomplished so far." The family recently ventured out again. "We just started producing natural fruit juices here on the island. Our orange, lime, and grapefruit juices are now on the shelves in San Pedro markets. We hope they are a success," Mr. Perez stated.

    During his free time, Domingo loves to read. "I take time in the afternoons to read my Newsweek magazine," he commented. He also enjoys walking on the beach with his wife and spending time with his entire family. Domingo attends many Lions functions and is very happy being a part of this community. " I intend to not only stay here but become a part of the island. I believe people need to ask, 'What can I do for my community?' Only through them can San Pedro keep prospering."

    Domingo Perez has made San Pedro his home and is an integral part of this town, helping out when necessary and striving everyday to improve the welfare of the island. Dedicating his time to both his family and San Pedro is the reason why Domingo is such a "popular" guy in "Our Community."