The Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price初代首相の国葬が行われました。
ベリーズシティは、小雨が降っていました。
The Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price初代首相の棺は、入院されていたPrincess Margaret Driveの
Karl Heusner Memorial Hospitalを、午前7時に国葬会場The Bliss Centreへ向かわれたそうです。
予め伺っていたコースをたどりました。St. Thomas Streetを左折してFreetown Roadに入りMapp
Streetを右折、左折して川沿いのNorth Front Streetに入り、スイング橋を渡り、Albert Street
からThe Bliss Centreへの道順です。
途中、North Front Streetから4本目のPickstock Streetを左折すると、直ぐにThe Rt. Hon. George
Cadle Price初代首相の木造の家がありました。閉ざされた門の前には、花束が捧げられていました。
並び始めた人達は、K.H.M.H.から棺と一緒に行列されてきた方達のようです。傘を差さなくても
歩けるような雨でした。後ろの年配女性は、blessと表現されていました。神の加護を祈り、初代
首相への感謝、あるいは、神からの祝福の印なのかも知れません。
The Bliss Centreで配布されたThe Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price初代首相の栞です。
NATIONAL HERO
GEORGE CADLE PRICE
(1919-2011)
・George Cadle Price was born on January 15th, 1919 in Belize City, the third of eleven
children of William Cadle Price and Irene Cecilia (nee Escalante).
・Early schooling included Holy Redeemer and St. John`s College in Belize City with more
studies at Augustine Minor Seminary in Mississippi, USA.
・During the 1931 hurricane, at the age of 12 years old, Price narrowly escaped death
when a building at Loyola Park collapsed.
・By age 16, Mr. Price felt a calling to the priesthood. He had hoped to study theology
at the University of Rome, but with the outbreak of World War ?, he transferred from
St. Augustine Minor Seminary to el Mayor Seminario Concillar in Guatemala City.
・Unable to continue with his spiritual studies, he began working for Mr. Robert Sydney
Turton, a wealthy merchant and a mahogany exporter.
・It was with Mr. Turton that Price received his introduction to politics, drafting speeches
for his boss and becoming aware of British colonial injustices in the colony.
・By 1944, Price entered municipal politics having entered within three days of voting day.
He lost that first election.
・By 1947 he had won his first election. From 1958 to 1962 he was Mayor of Belize City.
・On December 31st, 1949 the Governor devalued the Belize dollar by using his reserve powers.
He did so despite objections from the Legislative Council.
・A meeting was held at Price`s home at #3 Pickstock Street to plan strategies to protest
the devaluation. The result was the formation of the People`s Committee, comprised of:
John Smith, Leigh Richardson, George Price, and Philip Goldson.
・By September 29th, 1950 the People`s Committee became the People`s United Party.
・From 1954 The PUP advocated and gained FULL ADULT SUFFRAGE. By 1956, Mr. Price was leader
of the PUP and remained as leader up until 1996.
・The British authorities attempted to derail Mr. Price`s popularity with the masses by
charges of sedition. He emerged triumphant and even more popular than before.
・In the early 1960`s, after witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Hattie George Price
clamoured for moving the capital of Belize to Belmopan.
・in 1964, Belize gained its Self-Government and Mr. Price became its first Premier and was
elected a member of the House of Representatives in consecutive elections from 1965 to 1984
and again in 1989 to 2003.
・Always hovering over the entire career of Mr. Price was the Guatemalan claim to Belize. It
would be the same Guatemala issue that would play a pivotal role in uniting and consolidating
the Belizean populace on the road to Independence.
・Mr. Price and his team led a campaign to secure international support for Belize`s Independence
and managed to secure for Belize, a few months before Independence some military presence from
the British for “an appropriate period of time...”to guarantee its defence.
・On September 21st, 1981 we went into Independence and gained membership into the UNITED NATIONS
and Mr. Price was the country`s first Prime Minister.
・In September 2000 Mr. Price was awarded with Belize`s highest honour the Order of National Hero.
・Today Mr. Price is considered: The Father of Independence.
NICH national institute of culture and history
