Bio: Said Wilbert Musa was born in San Ignacio, Cayo District, Belize. He was the fourth of eight children by Hamid and Aurora Musa. The Musas are from humble stock and modest means. Said attended Saint Andrews Primary School. After primary school, his family moved to Belize City where Said went to distinguish himself as a student at St. Michael's College and later at St. John's College Sixth Form. He then went to England where he studied law at Manchester University. In 1966, he obtained an Honours Degree in Law (L.L.B., Hons.). He was called to the Bar at Grays Inn, London, after obtaining a Certificate from the Council of Legal Education in 1960. During this period, he married Joan Musa and started a family.
Musa returned home in 1967and served as a Circuit Magistrate during the latter part of 1967 into 1968, and as Crown Counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions between 1968 and 1969. His interest in the welfare of civil servants at that time led to his election as President of the Public Service Union.
He entered private practice as an Attorney-at-Law in 1970 and teamed up, first with Assad Shoman, and then with Lawrence "Ronnie" Balderamos and co-founded the law firm of Musa and Balderamos. Said became involved with the United Black Association for Development (UBAD) with Evan X Hyde and a group of young, talented, socially conscious Belizeans, who made an impact on the Belizean scene of the early to mid-1970s. During this time also, along with Assad Shoman, he formed the People's Action Committee (PAC) and the Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR).
Early in 1974, Said found a home in the People's United Party, where he joined in the struggle for Belizean Independence. His first general election bid in 1974 was unsuccessful, but Premier George Price, appreciating the political promise in this young lawyer, appointed him Senator for 1974-79 term. Said went back to the voters of the Fort George constituency in 1979 and waged a political comeback he was appointed Attorney General and Minister of Education and Sports in the 1979-84 PUP Government. Later in that same administration, Musa was given the additional portfolio of Minister for Economic Development.
Musa helped Belize win that Independence in 1981. Musa was also a key figure in the drafting of the Constitution of the independent Belize. Said Musa has been in public life for the past twenty five years. During this time he worked and served Belize as Attorney General; Minister of Education; Foreign Affairs; Economic Development; Sports and Culture. He has won four general elections as the representative of the Fort George constituency of Belize City.
In 1996, the Peoples United Party called on him to take over the reins of leadership from its great leader Emeritus and Father of the Nation George Price. Again, he embraced the challenge, with humility, but with new hope and a new vision for a better Belize.
Afiwi.com's complete profile on Said Musa
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