Josie Nuñez

    Josie was born to parents Elizabeth Hoffman-Pollard and Nicholas Pollard Sr. (deceased), in Trinidad and Tobago on May 3^rd, 1965. She was born the second youngest child in a family of 11 other siblings. Although a Belizean by birth, Josie's father made a living as a Trinidad & Tobago trade union supporter and orator, while her mother worked as a part-time secretary for her father. 

    When her father's job came to an end, the family moved to Belize City where Josie attended St. Joseph Elementary School, and graduated from St. Catherine's Academy (high school) in 1982. After graduation, her father encouraged her to enter the Miss Belize Pageant. Although she finished as the first-runner up, there were not enough sponsors to finance the training she needed to compete further. In addition, since she belonged to such a large family, Josie found that she possessed "intelligence but no financial options." Therefore, she could not attend college and was forced into the working world.

    During her final year of high school, Josie completed her "office practice" (on-the-job training) working as a dispatcher for Air Florida at the Belize International Airport. Fortunately, this training developed into a paid position and Josie remained with Air Florida, as one of three female dispatchers. When the company pulled out of Belize a few months later, she accepted the same position at Tropic Air and while employed there, realized that she had a "knack" for public relations. Two years later, Josie felt a need to move on to "a better life" and career, and decided it was time to pursue other options.

    Josie moved to Texas, USA, in 1984, to stay with a friend. Following the birth of her first child, she returned to Belize to plan their future. As fate would have it, "all the pieces fell together," and it became possible for Josie to realize her dream of furthering her education. Josie returned to Alvin, Texas with her daughter, where she stayed with family friends for two years while she attended Alvin Community College. The years 1985-1988 were busy for Josie; she completed her Associate's Degree in Applied Sciences (Arts and Science), middle management and marketing, and at the same time, established a free day care facility on campus. Josie attended classes in the morning and also worked part-time to pay for her schooling. All this hard work paid off though, and Josie graduated first in her class, with honors.

    Completing her education, Josie returned to Belize City to raise her child with the support of her family. She obtained her first "real" position in 1988, as a marketing officer for Belize Bank Limited. In her travels, she also visited San Pedro, where she met and eventually married her future husband, a Maya Island pilot named Ramon "Moncho" Nuñez Jr. In 1989, Josie moved to the island to make a life with her new husband.

    The next few years of Josie's marriage were busy as Ramon adopted Josie's first child and then the couple bore three more. Josie and Ramon currently have four beautiful children: Rhiannon (18), Savanna (12), Michelle (11) and Ramon Nuñez III (8). The years that followed proved difficult for Josie as she experienced health problems. Nevertheless, Josie had chosen the right man to stand by her side, so Ramon, Josie and their family stuck together throughout the healing process until she had recovered.

    Once the rough times had passed, Josie felt that she was destined to be more than a stay-at-home mother. Aching to return to the "career" world, in 1998, Josie went to work for their family business, Moncho's Golf Cart Rentals. Josie is responsible for office management, marketing and being the "face" for the company. Ramon prefers to be the man "behind the scenes,"  responsible for the "hands-on" mechanical work, and at the same time being Josie's overall advisor. Over the last five years, Josie and Ramon have watched their company grow into the "Hertz of San Pedro." Now that this business is successful, they have decided to work together on their newest project, "Blue Reef Resort."

    Through Moncho's, Josie remains involved with the community, and sponsors many different local activities and organizations. She also uses her negative experiences for the good of the community, by volunteering her time and sharing advice with other families on how to get through difficult times. Josie looks forward to the day when the community hospital opens, and would like to see emphasis placed on support groups, "which are long overdue in San Pedro."

     However, when Josie is not working and not volunteering her time, she prefers to remain "low-key," spending time with her husband and children. She also loves to read, organize family activities and visit relatives in Belize City.

     Josie's family means the world to her and she is content to be at home. Knowing that others may yet have difficult times ahead of them, she uses her hard-earned wisdom to help "transport" others into becoming healthy, more productive members of "Our Community".