The Patriot – The Price of Birthing Nationhood

“Worker”. I guess the appellation of being the singular most iconic figure in Belize’s political and social history as well as the force behind the boldest, most revolutionary act of national liberation and self-determination for the people of Belize would not fit in the miserly thirty centimeters reserved under “Occupation” in the passport of Leader Emeritus Rt. Hon. George Price. Nope. In fact, I am admonished in my justified hyper-inspiration and gratitude, to refrain from moving beyond the humility that Mr. Price, himself, has subscribed to during his epic life of selflessness, self-sacrifice, service and divinely ordained triumph.

We are Belize because of the legendry of Mr. Price. As I write this, the clock rings in his birthday and I am brought to remember with measured pride and zeal that the commission of his life’s work continues in the architecture of my fellow Belizeans and my fellow PUPs. The life story of Mr. Price, not diluted by any red eyed criticisms that have been ignorantly stabbed at his contributions and example, is the marker and expectation of “PUP-ness”. None would argue, save and except for Mr. Price himself, that he is the quintessential prototype for service, leadership and patriotism.

The foundation that he laid for the peaceful, constructive revolution which “mutinied” Belize into Independence was built on virtues more suitable to the ideals of a seminarian than a politician. He guarded and reinforced the beams of Belizean politics with spiritual vocation ensuring that we were a nation that was built. The term of art, Nation-building, was no reckless pandering to get applause. Building and toiling was meant literally.  Hard work, honesty, humility, dedication, patriotism, God fearing compasses and just plain old love, would shine from our windows and live in our hearts.

Despite what some constitutional theorists may propound, Belize is not a model for constitutional supremacy; under Mr. Price’s architectural vision, Belize was birthed as a model to God-fearing supremacy and as such any law which is inconsistent with that biblical imperative is to the extent of that inconsistency void. Don’t believe me? I tell you, this is entrenched into the tablets of our national bible, the 1981 Constitution of Belize. There, we declare in the very Preamble “whereas the people of Belize affirm that the Nation of Belize shall be founded upon principles which acknowledge the supremacy of God…”

Our anthem pledges us to persevere, “by the might of truth and the grace of God”. The road map to our national salvation was littered with reminders that only God brings us to fulfillment and that He was the author of our independence. This is our emancipation. Once oppressed people or as the anthem metaphorically refers to our previous incarnation as marginally “hewers of wood”, we emerge. This is the commission of the people of Belize: to find freedom, equality and justice. This was the direction Mr. Price turned us towards. This is the direction that the PUP today shall walk towards. This is the direction that God will guide us through as we move towards His design for us.

Some will say that there is a hyperbole of emotion in this article, but to them I say, it is deservingly placed. Imagine if the mighty United States could look into the eyes of George Washington as he spoke with the moral authority of Abraham Lincoln today; this very day of 2010. Ask Barack how “emotional” he would be. We have our George Washington and our Abraham Lincoln alive and well on Pickstock Street, probably resting before his faithful pilgrimage to get to six o’clock mass at the Holy Redeemer Parish.

Emotional! Sure. In fact, in honor of Mr. Price I will say that the PUP is a party of moral conviction and passion and that the very creed of our party is begotten by our respect to and roots in religion. I go further to say that in order to attack Mr. Price and the ideals of the PUP, you at some point in time have to attack God and the church. But no one can touch God’s anointed. Mr. Price is anointed. The constitution of the People’s United Party is grounded on a very catholic social teaching called “social justice”. It is repeated in the national prayer, when we say “may all our endeavors tend to peace, social justice, liberty, national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge.”

Yes, Mr. Price by example taught us that God is faithful to us and never to forget Him in seeking our just objectives. It is either by the conspiracy of coincidence or the pre-destination of purpose that my reflection for today was a passage of scripture which is forever etched on my religious memory. In it, Jesus first recognized the “deeds, toil, and perseverance” of the Ephesians but after praising their strengths, Jesus told them in Revelations 2:4-6: “Nevertheless I have this against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” To know that God had something against his people must have been rough. Big!

Now as my biblical scholarship lends itself, the only other emotional references that I can remember of God’s incarnation as man – being Jesus weeping, cursing of the fig tree and his thrashing of the temple yard merchants. So, yeah, it has to be big. What was Jesus so upset and emotional about? Well, the church had left their “first love.” This statement does not suggest that they no longer had any love for Christ at all. Rather, it means that the quality of their love for Him had weakened. The phrase “first love” holds two meanings: “as you loved me at first” and “my first love.” The first has to do with chronology; the second has to do with priority. These two meanings overlap and are complementary.

The Greek word translated “left” (aphiemi) means “to depart, leave alone, forsake, and neglect.” When you lose your car keys, where are they? When you lose your glasses, where are they? If you think real hard about it, when you lose your house keys or your glasses, they’re right where you left them!

And that’s the way it is with your first love for the people. If we’ve lost it, guess where it is? It’s wherever we left it. Our promise to the people is that we will go back and find it. Wherever it is, it’s still there because the people have not moved! The people still love us, as we do them. They have waited for us to come back and we are back!!!!

As Assad penned it way back in the 8^th of June 1974 issue of the Cayo Times: “the most important word in the name of our Party, the People’s United Party, is the word PEOPLE. We are a Party of the people, for the people and without the people we are nothing…the people…learnt that when they came…their problems received immediate attention and help was on its way. .. living proof of the fulfillment of the Party’s  motto – SERVE THE PEOPLE.”

The story goes that, in 1516, mercenary commander Fabrizo Colonna, after returning from his successful military engagement in Lombardy challenged a well known Florentine gentleman, Cosimo Rucellai, who had boasted of the comfort which the shades of his gardens had offered several princes of their time: He said “How much better off those princes would have been had they tried to equal the ancients in strong and rugged matters instead of delicate and soft ones, in those things done in the heat of the sun  and not in the shade, taking to their course of action from a true and perfect antiquity…” The people of Belize are our first love. This year 2010 we continue to reconnect with that first love.

Mr. Price has taught us to “honor and reward ability; not to despise poverty; to value the methods and institutions of virtue; to make citizens love one another ; to live without factions ; to value the public interest over private interests; and other enduring principles that could easily suit our times”. ..“Anyone who institutes such a way of life plants trees under whose shade one can live with greater happiness and prosperity.” Brother, to what you said back then I say today, “sub umbra floreo”.

We PUP’s, we Belizeans, have a history and a lineage. We are built from a tradition of service. Walking through rivers barefooted to be with our fellow Belizeans. Taking to horseback to be at their side; standing at their shoulder eating from the same pots.

This heritage demands that we as PUP dress in the white guayabera appeal of sophistry,  glistening with the transcending ideals of vision and hope but also that we have the blistered and calloused hands of blue collar workers, with  political finger nails dirty from the unending toils of sharecropping our independence, democracy and unflinching devotion to social justice.   The Price of nationhood is back breaking service. Que viva PUP! Que viva George Price!!!!!!!

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