On October 27, 2026, tributes poured out across Belize to honor the life and legacy of Antonio “Tony” Zabaneh, a trailblazing figure whose decades of work reshaped agriculture, local community life, and grassroots sports across Southern Belize. A beloved longstanding resident of Independence Village, Zabaneh passed away leaving behind a legacy of transformative, community-centered progress that continues to lift up households across the region. As his nephew, sitting Minister Louis Zabaneh, reflected publicly on his uncle’s far-reaching impact, the nation remembered the man widely credited as the foundational architect of Belize’s modern banana sector. Zabaneh served as the only longstanding chair of the national Banana Growers Association for years, steering the industry from its early, fragile stages to become one of Belize’s most stable, high-value export commodities that has sustained tens of thousands of rural livelihoods for generations. Beyond his landmark work in bananas, Zabaneh was also a dedicated, active citrus grower who held a seat on the Citrus Growers Association’s governing board, advocating tirelessly for smallholder farmers’ rights and fair market access for local producers. Rooted deeply in the life of Independence Village, Zabaneh built and operated a successful local general store alongside his wife and family, later serving as village chairman where he spearheaded critical local infrastructure and public service projects that laid the foundation for the community’s steady growth. He also earned widespread regional admiration for his unwavering support of local athletics, founding and sponsoring the renowned Sagitun sports teams that nurtured hundreds of young local athletes over the decades. A memorial mass was held in Belize City on the day of the announcement to celebrate Zabaneh’s life, with a second, community-focused memorial service scheduled to take place in Independence Village the following Wednesday. The public broadcaster noted that the published account is a transcribed version of its evening television newscast, with any Kriol-language remarks from speakers transcribed using a standardized, accessible spelling system for full clarity for all readers.