Price effectively dominated Belizean politics from the early 1960s until his 1996 retirement from party leadership, having been the nation's head of government under various titles for most of that period.

[4] Upon graduation, the young Price felt a call to the priesthood, so he went to study abroad, first attending Saint Augustine's Minor Seminary in Mississippi, United States, and later the Mayor Seminario Conciliar in Guatemala City.

[citation needed] After receiving encouragement from Turton, Price ran for election to the Belize City Council in 1944 and 1947, being successful in 1947.

[citation needed] Elected to the colony's newly created Legislative Assembly in 1954,[7] he also served as mayor of Belize City from 1956 to 1962.

The PUP was defeated in the elections by the United Democratic Party under Manuel Esquivel, with Price unexpectedly losing his own House of Representatives seat to a political newcomer.

[9] Price resumed the post of prime minister after successfully returning to the House in the 1989 election, serving until 1993, when he was again succeeded by Esquivel.

In September 2000, Price became the first person to receive Belize's highest honour, the Order of National Hero, for the prominent role he played in leading his country to independence.