And while the party celebrates the joy and blues of what could be termed as a late mid-life crisis, the strategists within the PUP machine have turned always to that ever-ready cornerstone of party unity, George Price who was today honored with the launch of a book of photographs. It's the third major book on the country's pre-eminent political figure, and the book finds him as the robust premier in the early 70's, the good old days of political leadership when having the top job meant catching boats and riding horses, pressing endless flesh and fording running rivers, not like nowadays, when leadership has come down to endless jousting with the media and appeasing party upstarts. Alfonso noble takes a look at those old days of premier-ship:
Alfonso Noble Reporting
80 frames frozen in time between the years of 1973 and 1974 today hung in the image factory's gallery and were documented in a book entitled "George and the People." the pictures come from the private files of former chief information officer and photographer Norris hall as well as from the Belizean archives. For hall the privilege to have been on country wide tours of Belize in its formative years was an experience like no other. Especially considering that he did so alongside the man now known as the father of independence, George Price.
Norris Hall - Photographer
"Well I see it are really a collection of people dedicated to the development of Belize. This is how is see these photographs they have no archival value for me. As far as I am concerned, the revolution, the people's revolution of Belize continues. The development of Belize continues and these people are very much a part, an integral part of that development, and they continue to be. These are the people I believe are the real people of Belize who have made most of the positive development and contribution to this country. I want people to be able to experience Belize as it was then and compare it to what it is today."
George Price - PUP Leader Emeritus
"We all look younger then. For instance I was telling Tony Zabaneh that I recognize him as a young man he had his hair, the part in the middle and his long,long hair. But really some of the people in the photos I can't remember some of them."
But even as the chief activist to independence can clearly remember Zabaneh's hair part, he cannot remember others in the pictures. He thanks hall for having been there through his peaceful revolution.
George Price
"He was there to record part of the work of the People's United Party and its peaceful constructive Belizean revolution. He was there as the work went on to unite the people to give them the feel that they belong to Belize and Belize belongs to them. And he was there to as the nation came to being all there under one flag, one constitution"
"To show what a good photographer Norris was, many times I was not conscious he was around. So that most of the things I see I am surprised he even captured them."
Hon. Said Musa - PUP Party Leader
"I think in all the photographs there is one common characteristic and that is the Guayabera. The white Guayabera. I think there should be an exhibition, a clothesline exhibition of all the Guayaberas that George Price has worn over the years. I hope he has kept them."
"But that has been the trademark but I think the real trademark that has been captured in this book, in this photo-book, is the charisma, the charisma of George Price. The way he's been able to move people the way he's been able to mesmerize people. The way people have responded to his call at whatever moment in time in our history."
And the image factory's director Yasser Musa says we are privileged to have them as we've been very unfortunate with our record-keeping.
Yasser Musa - Director Image Factory
"Because Belize has had such a bad experience with hurricanes, a lot of our historical records, especially photographs have been destroyed. So the fact that we have a year 73 to 74 intact and comprehensive as this shows that we have to be very conscious that these things have to be developed in order to protect and preserve our historical records."
The book is available at the image factory bookstore and the exhibit will be mounted for three weeks.