Price, George Cadle (1919– )

Belizean politician, prime minister 1954–84 and 1989–93. In 1950 he founded the country's first political party, the People's United Party (PUP), a left-of-centre grouping that grew out of a smaller group, the People's Committee, and called for the independence of Belize. Partial self-government was achieved in 1954 and Price became prime minister, continuing to lead his country until it achieved full independence in 1981. A charismatic but ascetic politician, he became known as the ‘father of the nation’. He unexpectedly returned to power in 1989 and remained there until 1993.

In 1984 PUP's3 30 years of uninterrupted rule ended when the general election was won by the United Democratic Party (UDP), led by Manuel Esquivel, and Price lost his seat.