On July 2, 2026, the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council hosted a heartfelt, historic ceremony to celebrate the foundational work of the municipal leaders who turned two small settlements into the thriving, interconnected Twin Towns the community knows today. The centerpiece of the event was the official unveiling of the *Roll of Past Mayors*, a permanent tribute installed at the San Ignacio Santa Elena Town Hall that honors 31 leaders who have overseen the jurisdiction’s development from 1958 through the present day.
Dozens of attendees gathered for the intergenerational celebration, including sitting municipal officials, current community members, and a roster of former chief executives, among them 100-year-old Don Hector Silva, the oldest surviving former mayor of the Twin Towns, who held office from 1960 to 1963. In a moving address to the crowd, Silva recalled one of his administration’s most pivotal early land purchases that expanded the town’s boundaries: securing 1,420 acres of surrounding land for just $40,000, a deal that required pulling together salaries from every elected official to close the transaction. “We didn’t own these lands. These lands belonged to Melado, and we bought them for forty thousand dollars. Unbelievable. … Mr. Price hurry tell Fonseca, pay them with your salary, with my salary, with everybody’s salary,” Silva shared, highlighting the collective sacrifice that laid the groundwork for future growth.
The tribute also recognized Orlando Habet, who made history in 2000 as the first mayor of the Twin Towns directly elected by popular vote, following a change to national municipal governance legislation. Habet, who now serves as Area Representative for Cayo Northeast, emphasized the unique calling of public service, noting that elected office requires personal sacrifice of time that would otherwise be spent with family and loved ones. “It was surely an honor to be recognized, and I applaud the mayor for organizing this award ceremony and the unveiling of the plaque with the various mayors that have served since 1958 to the present,” Habet said. “I think all of us have an opportunity to serve, but you have to have that calling also because it is time that you give to the community, sacrifice.”
For current mayor Earl Trapp, who is the longest-serving sitting chief executive in the Twin Towns’ history, the project was far more than a ceremonial plaque. It was a chance to acknowledge the steady, incremental progress each successive administration contributed to the area’s transformation. Trapp highlighted that public service often demands personal compromises to health and work-life balance in service of the community, making recognition of past leaders all the more critical. “Some of us don’t live a healthy lifestyle because of the dedication to what we have to do here in our community. But yes, it’s important that we always put time aside to honor and acknowledge people that have contributed towards the development of their community and country by extension,” Trapp explained. He also paid tribute to Silva, calling the centenarian former mayor a personal mentor and praising his sharp memory and lasting contributions to the region.
The Roll of Past Mayors preserves the legacy of every municipal leader, starting with Hamid Musa, the first mayor to take office in 1958, through Trapp’s current tenure, ensuring that future generations can trace the decades of decision-making and sacrifice that built the modern Twin Towns. The report was filed by News Five correspondent Shane Williams, who attended the ceremony.