CULTURAL  SYMPOSIUM -  New York City - 8 March 2003

 

POLITICAL CHANGES: 1940 - 1980 IN SVG

 

Written and submitted by Dr. Errol King

 

As World War II was winding down, Great Britain realised that many changes had to be made in her overseas colonies.  After all, in the late 1930’s, there were riots and general unrest in several of the islands, including Trinidad, Jamaica and even St. Vincent in l935.  The Commission, under Lord Moyne, visited the islands in l938, and wrote an extensive report which was quite critical of the mother ruler of the British Commonwealth.  However, this water-shed report was hushed up and was not released before the end of the war, because it was feared that the German propaganda machine would use it to belittle Great Britain over her subjects in the colonies.

 

Universal Adult Suffrage:

The question of “one man, one vote” was raised by the Moyne Commission.  Up to l938, each subject in the West Indian colony had to prove before the law that he was qualified to be on the Voters’ list.  To qualify, the voter had to satisfy one of 2 things; either earn an income over $150 per month or own property valued over $5,000.  Needless to say, the majority of West Indians could not qualify under these laws, and the voters’ lists were made up of Estate owners, Managers, Bankers, Supervisors, Civil servants and leaders in the private sector; the average stevedore, street-cleaner, cook, house-keeper, agricultural worker, etc. did not vote as he was disqualified by the strict colonial rules and regulations.  Universal adult suffrage came to Jamaica in l944, Trinidad in l946, Barbados in l949 and to St. Vincent in l949, all as a result of recommendations of the Moyne Commission of l938.

 

The Elections of l951…..

This was the first elections in  SVG with the provisions of “one man, one vote”, regardless of income; be 21 years of age, of good moral character etc., and our name was on the list.  The old guard of politicians were organised as the Working men's Association, under the seasoned George McIntosh.  The slate included Ebenezer Duncan, Edmund Joachim (Barrouallie), O.D. Brisbane, C.W. Prescod (George-Town), R.S. Brisbane, St. Aubyn Cato and Floris Simmons of Bequia.

 

A brand new Party under George Charles was built around the Trade Union Movement and was christened the “United Workers and Rate Payers Union”.  The rest of the slate included Sam Slater (N. Leeward), Herman Young (S. Leeward), Rudolph Baynes (Kingstown), Evans Morgan (Mesopotamia), Julian Baynes (St. George), Ebenezer Joshua (N. Windward) and Clive Tannis in the Grenadines.

 

The New Era Party under Dentist Dr. Frank Ellis also ran, as well as Independents such as Mr. B.R. James and A.C. Allen.

 

The new Party caught the imagination of the voters, and the Party under George Charles won all 8 seats, a clean sweep.  However, things were not easy for these members, as they were not allowed to control the Executive Council, which was still under the full control of the Colonial Administrator, and which has the final say in budgetary matters, etc.  To make matters worse, the new Party had internal squabbles, and divided into 2 factions, the BIG four, and the LITTLE four.  Fairly soon, Joshua

went one way to form his own Party and the Peoples” Political Party was founded.

 

Meanwhile, a new Party, the St. Vincent Labour Party was founded under Milton Cato, Rupert John and others who were politically conscious and thought they could make a worthwhile contribution to their native land (l956).

 

The results of the following elections were: 1957, P.P.P. won, l962 P.P.P. won, l967 won by Labour for the first time; l972 was interesting as the P.P.P. won 6 seats.  Labour won 6 and James Mitchell won in the Grenadines.  Eventually, Mitchell became the Chief Minister in the so-called `Junta Government’; this arrangement, fragile at best, only lasted for 2 years, and in the l974 elections, Labour won 10 seats, P.P.P. 2 seats and Mitchell 1 seat.

 

Statehood came in l969, the La Soufriere volcano erupted on Good Friday,

13th April l979 causing the emergency evacuation of 20,000 persons, the closing of schools and disruption of the economy.  And Independence was granted on

27th October l979.

                                                                                                            Errol G. King, M.D.

 

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