Sir Henry Edney Conrad Cain

Updated on Nov 22, 2023

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Nationality Belizean Died 17 January 2008		Other names Sir Henry Cain Other name Sir Henry Cain

Born 1924 December Belize Known for Rebuilding Belize's Foreign Reserves Notable work “When the Angels Says: Write” Books When the Angel Says "write"!

Sir Henry Edney Conrad Cain, commonly known as Sir Edney Cain (December 1924 – January 17, 2008) was a renowned Belizean patriot who dedicated 51 years of his life as a public servant. He was knighted in 1986 by Queen Elizabeth II and received the award of "Order of Distinguished Service" in 2006. He is recognized as a renowned Belizean because of his contribution to the stabilizing of Belize’s high liquidity and payment problems in 1987 through which he rebuilt Belize’s foreign reserves.

Education

Sir Edney Cain began his education attending Ebenezar Primary School followed by St. George’s College and St. Michael’s College. He furthered his studies in 1953 and 1954 by taking courses in accountancy and audit in the United Kingdom at his own expense. He continued his professional training by receiving a certificate after sitting the Association of Certified & Corporation Accountant’s Intermediate Examinations in 1954. Not stopping there, he continued his studies later receiving several accounting certificates; one being certification from the Association of Certified Corporate Accountant of the Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

Government Service

Sir Edney Cain began his service with the Government of Belize in 1940, at the age of 16, as a messenger at the Wireless Station and continued serving the government, climbing the organizational ladder. He became the first governor of the Central Bank of Belize in 1982 and in 1984 he began his career as an ambassador and he held that title multiple times until 1990. His most significant contribution to the government was in 1987 when he joined the Ministry of Finance becoming the Financial Secretary. This was a challenging time for Belize because of severe liquidity and payment problems that Belize was experiencing. At this time Belize was also in the middle of a Structural Adjustment Program with the International Monetary Fund. Sir Edney Cain resolved these problems within a period of 2 years in which he also rebuilt the foreign reserves. He continued serving the Government of Belize until he retired in December 1991.

Posts Held

Messenger at the Wireless Station, 1940

Supernumery Probationer and Junior clerk, 1942

Third Class Clerk, 1945

Second Class Clerk, 1946

First Class Clerk at the Audit Department, 1953

Examiner of Accounts and Sr. Examiner of Accounts, 1955

Auditor in the Audit Department, 1959

Assistant Accountant General, 1961

Accountant General, 1963

On special assignment to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, 1970

First Managing Director of the Belize Monetary Authority, 1976

First Governor of the Central Bank, 1982

Belize’s first resident ambassador to the United States of America 1984

Belize’s non-resident High Commissioner to Canada, 1984

Financial Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, 1987

Belize’s resident High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to France, Germany, Belgium and the Vatican, 1987–1990

Governor of the Central Bank, 1991

Honors

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 as Sir Henry Edney Conrad Cain

Received the award of “Order of Distinguished Service” at Belize’s 25th anniversary of Independence in 2006.

In June 26, 2008 the New Administration Building in Belmopan was renamed to the “Sir Edney Cain Building” in his honor of being such a large contributor to the financial stability of Belize.

Commitment to Literature

Collection of poems written in 1948 entitled “When the Angels Says: Write”

In 1925 he assisted Monrad Sigfrid Metzgen in writing “The Handbook of British Honduras” which comprises historical, statistical and general information concerning the colony of British Honduras, now Belize.

Death

After battling cancer for 8 years, Sir Edney Cain passed away at the age of 83 in his home in Belmopan on January 17, 2008. Five days later on January 22, 2008 a state funeral was held for him at the Wesley Methodist Church in Belize City.

References

Sir Henry Edney Conrad Cain Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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