At around 3:20 pm on the 17th September, 2018 Dean Russel Lindo made his transition to the after life. DRL as he was affectionately called has now joined his lifelong friend and law colleague BQ Pitts, who made his transition a few years earlier. DRL had not been keeping good Heath for a few years now, however his health deteriorated a few months ago and that caused him to close his law firm. Over the past few months, Lindo was hospitalized quite a few times. Although he retired from practicing law he was still willing to give of his wealth of experience to any young Attorney who sought his advice. Another practice that he continued to do was to call the Wave Talkshow and gave timely contributions to the show. Dean Lindo was one of Belize’s most brilliant legal minds and he possessed a laser sharp wit, both of which never left him. Those are some of the things that will be missed the most in his passing.
Mr Lindo’s passing is really a huge blow to his beloved UDP. The UDP is what it is today because of Dean Lindo. He was like a caring father who nurtured what was then a young UDP. He taught us in the UDP as if though we were his own children. The generals and foot soldiers of the UDP always proudly proclaim that they have been trained at the DRL University of Politics. A prime example of one of those persons who hails from DRL school is Michael Finnegan, one of Belize’s best politicians and he has never been too proud to sing DRL’s praises for the political success he has accomplished. The very Get Out The Vote (GOTV) system, that we still use today, was developed by DRL. Sure we have tweaked it by adding modernized technology such as employing computers, but basically it is the same system. For those who may be wondering what is GOTV, it is just what the name suggests, a system to get the votes
Let us say a few things from the Bio of Dean Russell Lindo. He was born on the 4th September 1932 to Ina and Maurice Lindo. DRL is a husband, a father, an attorney, a former politician, a former diplomat and an Uncle. Over the years he became affectionately known also as “Uncle Dean.” He is married and has one son, Martin Lindo. Mr. Dean Lindo is one of the founding members of the UDP having served as its first leader from 1974 to 1979. He has also served the UDP as Party Chairman and Campaign Manager. In fact he was our Campaign Manager in 1984 when the UDP won for the first time in what was an historic landslide victory for us. Again in 1993 he was our Campaign Manager when we were once again victorious after having lost in 1989.
Lindo himself was elected twice once in 1974 and then ten years later as a part of the history making team in 1984. He holds the distinction of being the only person to have defeated Said Musa. During the 1984 to 1989 term Lindo served first as Minister of Natural Resources (1984-1986) and then as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (1986-1989). Some of his achievements during that period include the creation of the first Jaguar reserve for the protection of Jaguars and the creation of the Hol Chan marine reserve. He also started the research at the Central Agricultural College on organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides and brought into being legislation against the importation of dangerous commercial agricultural chemicals. In 1989 he initiated a national Tropical Forestry Action Plan to guide Belize towards sustainable forest exploitation. There are many more accomplishments that this great gentleman possesses but time and space forces us to herald those at another time.
There is also another side of DRL and that is his professional life as an attorney, a profession he was in since 1964, that is to say for the last 52 years. Lindo was no slouch as an attorney, he was one of Belize’s best legal minds, who many attorneys both young and old, sought out for guidance and advice. Mr Lindo may not be seen in court a whole lot lately but ask many attorneys whose style and previous litigation history they employ in court? Lindo also published and attorneys find his works very useful in legal matters they have and continue to deal with. Dean Russell Lindo has touched his light and has watched the field. He is true testament to the saying “To thine own self be true.” Sleep On DRL, you did your job on earth and did it well.
