George Cadle Price

George Cadle Price ( born January 15, 1919 in Belize City, † September 19, 2011 ibid ) was the first Prime Minister of Belize and one of the most important people in the independence process of the country.

Life

Born in Belize City, he was in 1947 elected to the city council and politically active. Three years later, on September 29, 1950, he was among the founders of the People's United Party, which wanted the political and economic independence of Belize from the UK. 1954 Price was elected to the Legislative Council of the colony. Between 1956 and 1962 he was mayor of Belize City, from 1961 First Minister. In this role, he began to negotiate with Great Britain about the independence of Belize. Since 1964 was Price prime minister of British Honduras, which he had renamed Belize in 1973.

In 1981 independence; Price was the first Prime Minister of the country and also foreign minister of the first government. After the electoral defeat in the parliamentary elections in 1984 relieved him Manuel Esquivel. Later in 1989, Price was a second time Prime Minister until he his post, in turn, had to leave to Esquivel 1993.

For his efforts to ensure the independence of Belize Price received in September 2000 as the first person the Order of National Hero, the highest award in Belize.