9 6 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁Bel ize ▁gained ▁its ▁independence , ▁and ▁Price ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁country ' s ▁first ▁prime ▁minister ▁and ▁foreign ▁minister ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁The ▁P UP ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁elections ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁under ▁Manuel ▁Es qu ivel , ▁with ▁Price ▁unexpected ly ▁losing ▁his ▁own ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁seat ▁to ▁a ▁political ▁new com er . ▁Price ▁continued ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁P UP ▁from ▁outside ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly ▁while ▁Flor en cio ▁Mar in ▁became ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition . ▁Price ▁res umed ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁prime ▁minister ▁after ▁successfully ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁election , ▁serving ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁again ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Es qu ivel . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁he ▁announced ▁his ▁res ignation ▁as ▁party ▁leader , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁was ▁formally ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Sa id ▁Mus a . ▁Price ▁remained ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Bel ize ▁House ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁election . ▁ ▁Hon ours ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Price ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁person ▁to ▁receive ▁Bel ize ' s ▁highest ▁honour , ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁National ▁Hero , ▁for ▁the ▁prominent ▁role ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁leading ▁his ▁country ▁to ▁independence . ▁He ▁has ▁received ▁similar ▁hon ours ▁in ▁other ▁Car ib bean ▁and