One of the differences between the Northside and the Southside is that the hero on the Northside is George Price, whereas the heroes on the Southside are Goldson and Lumumba. It is clear to us that Mr. Price?s first loyalty was always to his family, and the nation was a corollary. For Goldson and Lumumba, the nation came first, and both of them sacrificed their families and themselves to their fervent nationalism. Mr. Price is the third child and oldest son born to William Cadle Price, an army officer in British Honduras, and Irene Cecelia Escalante Price, a Mayan lady of Orange Walk Town. There were eight Price daughters, and three sons. As far as we know, none of the Price sons fathered children, but the sisters married and have had many children ? Waights, Cantons, Balderamoses, Ushers and Craigs, that we know of. Mr. Price?s love for, and loyalty to, all these nephews and nieces (then grandnephews and grandnieces) became the theme which has run through the People?s United Party since 1956. If you use our ?royal family of Belize? analytical model, then you will understand the succession to Mr. Price in PUP leadership, and you will understand why the Glenn Godfrey issue is such a party crisis in the PUP. One more thing you should know and remember before we proceed. Mr. Price is a man who treasures loyalty. The more loyal you are to him, the more loyal he is to you. Mr. Price is never ungrateful, but, of course, there are times when loyalties conflict. This is what happened in 1996 at the PUP leadership convention. From 1993 it had become understood within the PUP that the matter of succession to Mr. Price as PUP Leader involved just two candidates ? the powerhouse caudillo of Corozal Southeast ? Florencio Marin, Sr., and the Fort George area representative ? Said Wilbert Musa. Mr. Price ?made? Florencio Marin in 1964, and the young man went on to win his Corozal constituency election after election. He remained absolutely loyal to Mr. Price, and he believed that the absolute loyalty was reciprocal, but there was a fly in the Marin ointment ? the matter of royal family. In 1964 then First Minister, George Price, decided to replace Jesus Ken in Corozal South. Ken was a firebrand hero to Corozal cane farmers. He had won the division in 1961 with 85% of the vote. Yes, 85%. How do you move a man like that? If you are George Price in 1964, totally powerful, then what you do is just take an unknown teacher at the Copperbank Primary School, Florencio, and use him to ?drop? Jesus Ken. Simple. If you have to hold two conventions, instead of one, to get the job done, no problem. Thus was born the legend of Florencio Marin. Said Musa didn?t win his first general election until 1979, fourteen years after Florencio Marin?s triumphant entry into Belizean politics. When Musa lost his seat in 1984, Marin retained his, and became Leader of the Opposition PUP in the House of Representatives. (Mr. Price had also lost his seat in the 1984 general elections.) So Florencio had reason to hope and believe that he would be the Chosen One. Wrong. Mr. Musa was the father of seven children with one of Mr. Price?s nieces, and he was The One in 1996. The three most powerful men in the day-to-day PUP then became Mr. Musa, Mr. Ralph Fonseca and Mr. Glenn Godfrey. Mr. Fonseca and Mr. Godfrey did not have relationships of consanguinity with Mr. Price, except for the fact that one of Mr. Godfrey?s sisters married one of Mr. Price?s nephews. Mr. Fonseca?s father, Rafael, had been a close friend of Mr. Price?s. But, more important, both Ralph and Glenn were like adopted children of Mr. Price?s from the 1960?s. The upshot of this is that Mr. Godfrey, no matter what his transgressions, cannot be sacrificed. It is a case of the royal family versus the nation, and since 1956 the interests of the royal family have been primary. In a sense, this has been a great strength of the People?s United Party ? remarkably tight internal cohesion because of the barely visible family foundation/structure. As far as we know, no member of the extended Price family has ever broken ranks. The monolithic nature of the ruling PUP begins with the monolithic nature of the royal family. Before we close, we need mention that Miss Jane, a younger sister of Mr. Price?s, became an extraordinary icon on her own several decades ago. The soul and architect of Belize?s most powerful credit union ? Holy Redeemer Credit Union, Miss Jane was pressured by older brother George to leave her HRCU desk and take over the Pickstock division in 1979. The PUP was in more trouble than it had ever been. Having taken care of that political business in 1979 and 1984 (she won Pickstock both times), Miss Jane, mother of ten, returned to her HRCU desk and has remained there ever since. Respect, Miss Jane.
