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SANDRA FERGUSON WRITES... |
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REACTION TO INDEPENDENCE EDITION OF SUNDAYS WITH GEORGE GRANT
February 2nd, 2009
Dear George,
Re SWGG, Sunday, February 1st – Independence
Permit me to comment on Sunday’s programme which featured three persons associated with the Grenada United Labour Party. I stand to be corrected but I got the impression that the subject of the conversation was the unrest in Grenada leading up to Independence. Listening to the programme, one might have summarized it as “The GULP Story”. However, it was a story, which in my opinion, was found “wanting”. It did not do justice to your programme, to history, to the party, GULP, or to Sir Eric. Sometimes, the studio panelists came across as reluctant, unwilling to commit themselves to any opinion or point of view, or content to wallow in the parochialist positions:
• “they” couldn’t wait to get power
• “They” find Sir Eric wasn’t good enough to be Prime Minister – a little black boy from Moyah
• Etc, Etc.
However, what was really disappointing is that persons listening to the
programme, particularly young people, were no better informed at the
end of the programme.
Permit me to share with you my perspective on the conjuncture and the events/incidents which gave rise to:
• the unrest in Grenada leading up to Independence and the anti-Independence movement as it were and
• the anti-Gairy, anti-Independence position, shared by a great
number of young persons of that time. At that time, I was a secondary
school student and I participated in the anti-Independence
demonstrations.
The position at the time was that, fundamentally, people were not
opposed to Independence but to Grenada becoming independent with Gairy
at the helm, given all that had transpired since he assumed office in
1967.
This perspective is not an analysis. I am not a historian so I leave
that to persons more competent that myself. It in no way seeks to
suggest that I do not recognize or acknowledge Sir Eric’s contribution
to Grenada, and to the social revolution in Grenada - to the
improvement of the social conditions of an exploited and oppressed
group of persons, the agricultural workers. But Sir Eric stopped there
and perhaps, like the current day Mugabe of Zimbabwe, became a
liability to the country. However, all of that is our history
lived. He is the Father of Independence and his place in history in
assured, not only for the good things but for the not-so-good things.
Since that time, I have had the opportunity to work and interact with
many loyal “Gairyites” and I have come to understand Sir Eric’s
contribution to their lives and to appreciate, in some measure, their
unwavering loyalty to “Uncle” – a loyalty which Sir Eric exploited
shamelessly.
1. Context:
First we must appreciate the context and the influences which had a
profound impact on shaping militancy, youth activism and youth
idealism. It also explains why the leaders of the New Jewel movement
captured the imagination of young people in Grenada and were embraced
by them. It is also significant to note that many of these young
people who became involved with the New Jewel Movement were the sons
and daughters of loyal Gairyites.
Independence came in 1974. Among the global influences which shaped the period of the late sixties and seventies were:
• The Cold War: It was the era of the cold war. The world was
ideologically polarized between the USA and the Soviet Union.
• Non – Aligned Movement: There was the Non-Aligned Movement to
which a number of Caribbean countries belonged. The non-aligned
movement sought to provide a middle ground between the USA and the
Soviet Union, but was perceived as leaning toward the Soviet Union. The
Caribbean played a leading role in the non-aligned movement - Jamaica
under Michael Manley and Guyana under Forbes Burnham. They both
espoused socialist ideals.
• It was also the era of United Nations Decolonization of island states.
• There were Liberation Wars in Africa including the anti-apartheid
struggle in South Africa – Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia)
and South Africa. In the Caribbean, African Liberation Day was
commemorated and some of our governments and people lent their
solidarity to the liberation movements.
• In Ireland, the Irish Republican Army was battling against the British.
• Liberation Theology was espoused by Catholic Church in Central
America and while the Caribbean church talked about conscientisation –
acknowledgement by the church leaders that the church had an obligation
to fight oppression and struggle for social justice for the poor and
oppressed.
• Black Power and the Civil Rights Movement: There was the rise of
the civil rights movement in the US as black people struggled against
institutional racism. There was also the emergence of the black power
movement in the US led by no less a person than Trinidadian, Stokeley
Carmichael).
• There was the anti-war (Vietnam war) movement in America. It was the era of “peace and love”.
It was therefore a period of political consciousness and social
activism which inspired youth that our mission was to make the world a
just and better place for the oppressed and disadvantaged. We were
anti-establishment, “chanted down Babylon” and spoke of struggle and
revolution. We read, discussed and were inspired by the writings of :
• Malcolm X
• James Baldwin
• Frantz Fanon – Wretched of the Earth and Black Skin, White Masks
• Karl Marx - The Communist Manifesto
• Mao’s Little Red Book
• Walter Rodney’s - Groundings with My Brothers
• Paolo Friere’s – The Pedagogy of the Oppressed
While there was no Internet, cell phones or widespread television,
youth in Grenada were connected to what was going on in the world and
were part of youth movements, locally and regionally. Music was also
a powerful force of conscientisation and protest.
This was the environment which existed when key leaders of the New
JEWEL Movement such as Maurice Bishop, Unison Whiteman, Kenrick Radix
and Bernard Coard returned from England where they had been involved
with various social movements in England, rubbing shoulders with
African, Caribbean and other black nationalist leaders. As
accomplished intellectuals who had been part of this movement in
England, they brought another level of activism, understanding and
political consciousness and were embraced by key local community
leaders and groups interested in advancing the “struggle”.
2. Specific Events/Incidents which influenced Grenada:
There are some specific events /incidents which marked Grenada:
• The 1970 Black Power Riots and army mutiny in Trinidad prompted
Sir Eric to make his famous speech, ‘when you neighbour house is on
fire, wet yours!” and that meant clamping down on dissenters.
• There were black power incidents at the University of the West
Indies, Mona Campus. I do not recall exactly what the incident was
but it got one Grenadian student expelled while Guyanese lecturer,
Walter Rodney, was deported out of Jamaica. At that time, Rodney’s
book, “Groundings with My Brothers” became essential reading for all
progressives. (Indeed it still is!)
• Students who attended UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad came back as advocates of black power.
• There was an incident at Sir George Williams University, Canada ,
inspired by black power militants. I cannot recall the exact year but
it might have been 1971/1972. Caribbean students including Rosie
Douglas of Dominica and Kennedy Frederick of Grenada and a Trinidadian
were also involved. Neither do I recall exactly what the incident
was, but it got them expelled from the university and arrested in
Canada.
While other Caribbean governments were lending their assistance to
their nationals, Sir Eric refused. I recall taking part in a
demonstration outside of Parliament Building where a Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association meeting was being held. There were chants of
“Free Kennedy Frederick! Free Kennedy Frederick!”
Sir Eric did not take kindly to this.
Sir Eric:
In 1967, Sir Eric assumed office, for a second time, shortly after
Grenada had attained Associated Statehood which meant that Grenada had
autonomy for its internal affairs while Great Britain retained control
over its external affairs. Gairy’s base was the agricultural workers
while the merchant class and plantocracy supported the Grenada National
Party, led by Herbert Blaize. Interestingly, Grenada’s significant
peasantry also supported the Grenada National Party.
Among the events, incidents and actions which caused unease and disquiet in Grenada were the following:
• Land for the Landless Scheme – Gairy set about acquiring the
estates of known opponents and re-distributed the lands. While on the
surface, this could be lauded as revolutionary land reform, it was not
accompanied by any plan of support for the new land owners. Indeed, it
was this action which began the collapse of agriculture and the rural
economy.
I was quite surprised some years ago when facilitating community fora
on poverty in Grenada, people noted that, to this day, the vacuum left
by the collapse of agricultural estates in respect of employment
generation and food production, has never been adequately filled.
Crash road work programmes were a very poor substitute and was beset by
political favouritism.
• Dissolution of District Boards: While Sir Eric’s party controlled
central government, local government was dominated by members of the
opposition Grenada National Party. I particularly remember Eric Pierre
(a key member of the Grenada National Party) being the mayor of the
Town of St. George. This situation did not go down well with Sir Eric
and he simply dissolved the District Boards.
One of the panelists claimed that one had to be eligible to vote and
that this franchise did not extend to all citizens. I do not know if
situation still existed in the late 60s/early 70s when the District
Boards were dissolved by Sir Eric. Universal adult suffrage had
already been attained (for which both Sir Eric and T.A. Marryshow are
credited).
• Dissolution of the Commodity Boards of the Grenada Cocoa
Association and the Grenada Banana Co-operative Society: Remember, the
greater part of Grenada’s peasantry did not support Gairy. So it is
not surprising that the composition of the Boards of Directors of the
commodity associations were made up of known opponents of Eric Gairy.
He dissolved the Boards of these associations, replacing them with
government appointed members.
I recall a farmers’ demonstration protesting the actions of Premier
Gairy. The demonstration marched up to Government House where stones
were thrown from inside Government House grounds into the
demonstration. It was a historic FIRST for Grenada.
• Nurses Demonstration of December 1970: A number of nurses and
doctors, dissatisfied with the conditions which prevailed in the
General Hospital, took to the streets in a demonstration. They were
not demonstrating for improved conditions or wages for themselves.
They were protesting the conditions for the users of the general
hospital, the people of Grenada. Police fired tear gas on the peaceful
demonstration in front of the Health Centre (now the location of the
National Insurance Scheme). I do not recall whether or not there were
any arrests at that particular time. Days later, there were numerous
arrests and charges were laid against a number of nurses and other
persons who had participated in that demonstration. They were charged
with “assembling for the purpose of committing a riot”
It was a diverse array of persons of differing backgrounds. Among the 20 or so persons who stood trial were the following: Claudia Alexis, Claudia Whiteman (not Whiteman at the time), Kathleen
Hood(sister of Pastor Karl Hood), Linky, a dock worker and pan man
(now deceased), Michael Sylvester, Clarence Ferguson, Peter Boyke,
Maurice Bishop, Maurice Paterson, Dr. Ethelstan Friday, Unison
Whiteman, Ian Francis, Harold Strachan.
Caribbean solidarity swung into action and a team of high-powered
lawyers were mobilized as the defence team. Among the members of the
team that I can recall were Allan Alexander from Trinidad, Kenneth
Foster and one Bled man from St. Lucia, Bobby Clarke of Barbados and
William Herbert from St. Kitts and Rex McKay of Guyana. There were
many more.
The case against all the persons so charged was eventually dismissed in the High Court.
• Interference in and politicization of the police force:
Politicization of the Police Force began with Eric Gairy. The
turn-over of Commissioners of Police was quite high.
I recall, as a school girl, there were two members of the police force
who, when I ran into them would “cuss” me because of my family’s known
anti-Gairy position – one was a police woman who has since gone to the
great beyond. The other is still a member of the force. I run into
him occasionally and we are quite cordial towards one another.
Sometimes, I smile to myself and think that we have come a long way. I
also wonder whether or not he remembers those days!!
• Police harassment of known opponents of Gairy – many persons known
to be opponents of Gairy suffered frequent arbitrary police searches of
their homes, for guns and ammunition it was said. I can personally
testify to this.
• Secret Police – Gairy mobilized a group of persons known as secret
police who spied on and harassed his opponents, threatening and
sometimes inflicting violence. Often, they were also part of the
police search parties.
• Mongoose Gang: In the early 70s, Sir Eric took to using his radio
addresses to “throw word’ for his political opponents, even making
threats. He mobilized what became known as the Mongoose Gang,
described by Premier Gairy himself as being made up of the “roughest
and toughest of roughnecks” to “deal with his opponents”. Members of
the Mongoose Gang had a prior record of several criminal convictions.
Another stage of political terrorization was reached as these criminals
threatened political opponents with violence or inflicted violence.
Again, I can personally attest to this. I experienced it.
• Political Victimisation: Within the public service, there were
arbitrary transfers of persons whose loyalty was questioned by Sir
Eric. Persons whose families were known opponents did not get jobs.
Their children were not considered for University scholarships.
• Not meeting obligations to the University of the West Indies: The
government of Sir Eric Gairy stopped meeting its obligations to the
regional University, making it near impossible for students to enter
UWI because of the economic costs. He felt that University students
came back and “created problems for the government”. So Grenada’s
entrants dropped to about 3 persons per year for whom Government met
the economic costs.
3. 1973:
General elections were held in February 1972. Taking Grenada into
political independence was an issue on the campaign platform of the
Grenada United Labour Party which won by a comfortable majority over
the Grenada National Party. Some questions were raised about the
integrity of the process but I do not recall them being pursued. Sir
Eric wasted no time in going to England for Independence talks. He
came back and triumphantly announced that the granting of Independence”
was in the bag”. The disquiet grew at the thought of an independent
Grenada with Gairy in charge. His opponents feared increasing
recriminations.
The year, 1973, was an eventful one. Criticisms of Sir Eric endured
while Sir Eric’s intolerance to critics and dissenters intensified.
Among the notable events/incidents were:
1. In April, there was unrest during the Easter week-end. In
Grenville, on Good Friday, a young man, Jeremiah Richardson had been
shot and killed by police. The people of Grenville mobilized
themselves and the airport was shut down. They occupied the runway. I
do not recall how this was resolved but the airport was shutdown for
the Easter holidays and at that period, both Monday and Tuesday were
holidays.
2. The New Jewel Movement held a People’s Convention and presented
its manifesto to a packed Seamoon pavilion. The convention was held
sometime in May. In fact, it might have been on African Liberation Day.
3. The NJM mobilized the people of St. David’s and staged the trial
of Lord Brownlow at La Sagesse – Lord Brownlow was an Englishman who
tried to block the people’s access to the La Sagesse beach by erecting
a gate on the allowed path. He was found guilty in abstentia, an
effigy of him was burnt and the gate was broken down. I believe this
event happened shortly after the launch of the manifesto.
4. Intensification of arbitrary arrests, searches of homes and person by the police and secret police.
5. One June 8th, there was the attack on Clarence Ferguson by the
members of the Mongoose Gang right in front of Everybody’s Stores (now
Foodland, Market Square). Ferguson left town with his family. The
Mongoose Gang followed the bus, blocked it in Marigot and again
attacked Ferguson and members of his family. He received over 100
stitches to a head wound.
(P.S. George, one of your panelists was witness to that first attack in town )
It was also a time when some members of the Mongoose Gang worked as
orderlies in the hospital. On arrival at the Salus Clinic in Richmond
Hill, operated by Dr. Ethelstan Friday, Dr. Friday was not present.
The nurses (who had all been charged and tried for their participation
in the famous Nurses Demonstration in 1970) advised him that because of
the severity of his wound, they could not admit him in the absence of a
doctor. So Ferguson instructed them to stitch him up so he could go
home to die. He was not going to the general hospital.
6. Bloody Sunday, November 18th: On this Sunday, the NJM leadership
was holding a meeting in the town of Grenville. They were attacked by
Gairy loyalists, almost killed and they were arrested. They spent the
night in a police cell and were denied bail, medical attention and
legal assistance by the police in charge. This incident provoked national and regional outrage and catalyzed the
formation of the famous Committee of 22, – a grouping of organizations
that would now be described as civil society organizations.
7. Murder of Harold Strachan of Beaulieu on December 27th – Harold
was an NJM supporter and was shot in a confrontation with members of
the Mongoose Gang.
4. Committee of 22:
The Committee of 22 was a grouping of 22 organizations which included
the Private Sector Organizations, the Trade Union Council, the
Conference of Churches, Union of Secondary School Students. The
grouping condemned the attack on the NJM leadership. They felt that
“state-sponsored terrorism” did not augur well for Independence and a
deliberate campaign was started, seeking to influence the British
government to delay the granting of independence to Grenada.
Duffus Commission of Enquiry:
Following the Bloody Sunday incident of November, 1973, I believe that
there was intervention/engagement from the Caribbean Conference of
Churches and the Caribbean Congress of Labour with Premier Gairy and
Governor, Dame Hilda Bynoe, to set up a Commission of Enquiry to look
into the break down of law and order and police brutality in Grenada.
The Commission was set up by Governor Bynoe and began its sitting in
December 1973.
Bloody Monday, January 21st, 1974:
The Committee of 22 also supported the general shut down of the country
and accompanying anti-Gairy, anti – Independence demonstrations. Thus
January 1974 began with a general strike/shut down of the country and
massive demonstrations in which many school children participated.
There were clashes between the demonstrators and the pro-Gairy
supporters. At a demonstration in Grenville, two people were stabbed.
But the most well known incident is Bloody Monday, January 21st when
pro-Gairy forces clashed with demonstrators in the vicinity of Otway
House. The police tear gassed the demonstrators and fired on
demonstrators seeking refuge in Otway House. Rupert Bishop, the
father of Maurice Bishop, was killed when shots were fired on Otway
House. Then the pro-Gariy forces proceed to break open stores in the
town and loot, all in full view of uniformed police.
Throughout the country, there were reported incidents of persons,
particularly young men, being arrested and beaten up by police and/or
secret police. Regional figures such as Archbishop Woodroffe of the
Windward Islands expressed the fear that Grenada might be on the brink
of civil war.
February 7th,1974 - Independence:
This was therefore the atmosphere with which Grenada greeted
independence at mid-night, February 6th, 1974. The country was locked
down and in darkness. It was a country divided, terrorized and
traumatized. And this explains in part why, until fairly recently,
Independence celebrations was such a low keyed event for most people,
Independence, when it came, was not a people’s thing. It was a Gairy
thing!
35 Years - Februrary 7th, 2009:
As we commemorate/celebrate 35 years of Independence, it is incumbent
upon us to KNOW our history for it is only when we know where we came
from can we understand where we are going. It is necessary for us to
take off the rose tinted glasses and see beyond the symbols and
colours.
We know that our leaders who have passed to the great beyong,
particularly Uncle and Maurice (Bishop) would “turn in their graves” if
they only knew the path that Grenada is taking to progress and
development. It is ably captured by calypsonian Gunn – “Hail Grenada,
Land of Ours we cyan buy! US$70 a square foot!” After all that we
have been through, our leaders have sold and are selling Grenada back
VERY CHEAPLY to the same ones from whom we sought liberation and
independence. This sell-out goes by names such as luxury tourism and
doing business right.
What does Independence mean to us? What SACRIFICES are we willing to make and endure for Independence? The CHOICE is ours!
On the occasion of our 35th, I pay tribute to all who have sacrificed
and laboured for our land. In the words of Cassy Pitt – one of the few
who composed an Independence song in 1974 – Grenada , may God bless
you!!
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