WHO'S WHO IN BELIZE CENTRAL AMERICA

The Right Honourable George Cadle Price

George Cadle Price
1st Prime Minister of Belize
In officeSeptember 21, 1981 – December 17, 1984
Deputy Prime Minister
Florencio Marin, Sr.


Succeeded by
Manuel Esquivel
3rd Prime Minister of Belize


Georger Cadle Price was in officefrom September 7, 1989 and July 3, 1993
George Cadle Price was born January 15, 1919 in Belize City, Belize
Nationality
Belizean
Political party
People's United Party
Spouse
bachelor


George Cadle Price (born January 15, 1919) was the first Prime Minister of Belize and is considered the architect of that country's independence. Born in Belize City, he entered politics in 1947 with his election to the Belize City Council. Three years later, on September 29, 1950, he cofounded the People's United Party, which he led for four decades and which was devoted to the political and economic independence of the British colony, then known as British Honduras.

Education and Early Political Activities
Price was never educated further than St. John's College High School (SJC did not have a sixth form until the 1960's.) While there, however, he was exposed to the teachings of Catholic social justice, in particular the encyclical Rerum Novarum. Upon graduation Price attached himself to local business man Robert Turton as his private secretary. He also rallied a few SJC graduates, some of them later members of the PUP, to contest elections in 1944 and 1947 for the local Town Board, being successful in 1947. Price also contributed to the Belize Billboard, then run by Phillip Goldson.

Later Political Career
Main article: People's United Party
Price, upon the formation of the PC in 1950, was named its Assistant Secretary, and in a famous speech later that year claimed that "National Unity" propelled the PC's actions. With the formation of the PUP Price's stature rose and he ascended through the party ranks until he became leader following a dispute in 1956.
Elected to the colony's Legislative Council in 1954, he also served as mayor of Belize City from 1956 to 1962. In 1956 became also leader of the PUP. As First Minister, a post he held since 1961, he led the team which began negotiations over independence with Great Britain. He maintained that post as premier in 1964.
In 1981 Belize gained its independence, and Price served as the country's first prime minister and foreign minister until 1984. After the PUP's defeat in the elections by the United Democratic Party under Manuel Esquivel, he resumed the post of prime minister in 1989, serving until 1993, when he was again replaced by Esquivel.
In 1982, Price became a member of the United Kingdom's Privy Council. In October of 1996 he announced his resignation as party leader, and on November 10, 1996 was formally succeeded by Said Musa.

Honors
In September 2000, Price became the first person to receive Belize's highest honor, the Order of National Hero, for the prominent role he played in leading his country to independence. He has received similar honors in other Caribbean and Central American countries.