By Charles Gladden
ORANGE WALK TOWN, Mon. Sept. 29, 2025
The People’s United Party (PUP) celebrated its 75th anniversary on Sunday, September 28, at the Banquitas House of Culture in Orange Walk Town.
“We are here today to celebrate and honor those who came before us, the legacy and foundation that they built. We are here to support our leaders, our government, and our party, and to recommit ourselves to the principles, the creed, and beliefs of the People’s United Party,” said Henry Charles Usher, PUP chairman, at the event.
The party was established in 1950 by the late Rt. Honorable George Cadle Price and others, and under his leadership the party secured the nation’s self-governance in 1964 and then independence in 1981.
“It is this party that said to the world, ‘We are ready to govern ourselves. We are ready to be free. We are ready to be Belize. We are ready to be called Belizeans and sit at the United Nations as an equal partner with all the free nations of this world’,” said Prime Minister John Briceño, leader of the PUP.
“Our independence wasn’t handed to us; they neva give it to us. It wasn’t a gift from the British; it was a victory that was earned by courage, sacrifice, and vision, and was led by George Price, the father of our nation,” he further mentioned.
Since the country gained independence in 1981, the PUP has been dominant in the polls, suffering its first defeat to the United Democratic Party in 1984 and once again in 1993. The party entered into a 12-year hiatus, serving as the Opposition from 2008 to 2020, when they garnered majority votes in the general elections. They then repeated their victory in 2025.
“75 years ah PUP! Dis da di party ah self-government, independence, and freedom. Dis da di best party eena all ah dis land and we must recognize. Dis da di party whe win seven straight general elections under the honorable George Cadle Price,” said Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of the party.
He added, “When we are at our best, nobody could beat us; and we were at our best in March of this year. We were taking care of the people like we never had before. We were making sure everybody wins … We’ve made some mistakes. Some people said we have some unforced errors since we lost one, but we have to remember something: we have to return to our social justice roots; return to our George Price roots, we have to be the party to take care of the people who need our help the most.”
A commemorative coin was distributed to commemorate the party’s 75th anniversary.
