National Library of Jamaica 2 MARCH , 1997 TRIBUTE TO A VISIONARY The World has lost a Thinker W1th the passing of The Right He tried to be a bridgeover troubled waters Honourable Michael Manley, Q.M., but would never do so at the cost of marginalis P.C., Jamaica, the Caribbean, the .ing the dispossessed and so he was a tower of Third World and, indeed, the world has lost a strength .in Jamaica, .in the Caribbean communi giant, marked by his caring for the poor, the ty, .in the non-aligned movement .in the efforts to needy, the dispossessed. reconcile the North and South and one could Born.into a life of relative privilege, he could never forget his efforts aga.inst the evil of have usedhis natural and family assets to ensure apartheid. for himselfa life of luxury and ease. Instead he The leaders of the world always sought his threw himself.into the strugglefor the betterment responseto the currentworld situation and while of those desperately.in need, those subject to mis be.ing very analytical, he never denied his forth treatmentor .indilierencefrom persons possessed right assessment of any situation. of economicmight. He hated povertywhether of The world has really lost a th.inker who the pocket, the mind or the conscience. brought new dimensions to the political scene With that bette,mentas a constant vision he and a new approach to economics at the world took on all comers, at the community and level. parochial levels, the national level, the regional His approach to change on the world scene level and the .international level. He did so .in a has served as a model statement throughout the way which sought not only the goal for better world. ment but fought to do so .in a way .in which the May his soul rest in peaceand light perpetu players of the day could live with the outcome. ally shine uponhim . Sir Howard Cooke .. . In tribute to a visionary
With the death of Former Prime staff of the nationalist weekly newspaper of the people'sNational Party in succession to M.inister of Jamaica on Thursday ''Public Opinion", the unofficialnews-organ of his father, the late Norman Washington January6, the Caribbeanlost two of his father'spolitical party, beforeregistering as Manley, who was proclaimed a nationalhero its most outstanding charismatic leaders with a student at McGill University in Canada. But by the Jamaican Governmentin October 1969. in 24 hours. the week after registration, he volunteered for It is equally significantthat he reachedthe The 72 year-old political leader lost his service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and top postin his party vie the trade union move six-year battle with prostate cancer at 11.45 pm was tra.inedas a wireless operator and airgun ment, .in which he served as Vice-President following the death of 78-year-old Guyana's ner. Fortunately or unfortunately, he graduat and Island Supervisorof the NationalWorkers president Cheddi Jagan early Thursday mom- ed onlyjust before the war ended .in Europein Union. ing. May 1945. So undaunted by the fact that he Manley's political career spanned some The Governmenthas declared Friday was denied activeservice .inthe Europeanthe 30 yearswith an unprecedentedthree terms in March 14 to Sunday March 16 a period of atre of war, Michael Manley volunteered for the primeministerial office, the only Jamaican mourningfor Mr Manley who will be buried the Far-Eastern theatre of war (the Japanese politicalleader to achieve this to date. He first in the national heroes park on Sunday March front). entered parliament .in 1967 whm he won the 16. The statefuneral service will take place at His plan was however doomed to disap central Kingston constituencyand by 1992 he the Holy Trinity Cathedral on North street .in pointment, because the Royal Canadian Air led the PNP to power .in a landslidLondon, England, where he subsequently Norman, was a product of peasant or rural graduated from the London School of of the Caribbean. Jamaica. Economics (L.S.E.) B. Sc. (Econ.) in 1949. Michael Manley is the only West Indian He was educated at St Andrew His special subject was Government and politician to have given up leadership of his Preparatory School and Jamaica College to Political Science. party and quit as prime minister in 1992.. It is to the memory of this great man which he was admitted in 1935. Afterleav.ing Michael Manley did not realise his youth that the Jamaica Herald would like to devote J.C., he worked for six months on the editorial ful ambitionto be a political journalist.But he nevertheless in his 44thyear, becrunePresident this supplement "Tributea to visionary."
,., �:t··�ngmayl1�sfi:am�Jive �, Compiled by Dorrett Campbell (co-ordinator) Claudette Mcleish, (Editor) Andriene West, Delroy Whytehall, Raymond Sharpe Desmond Richards, ' Joylene Griffiths-Irving (Editor in Chief) Lay out: Fitzroy Williams. Coverdesign: Kevin Russell Typesetters : Gloria Bent-Gordon & Maxine March in our hlstmy, 'and my his · ' ·soul rest in peace;, i TRIBUTE TO A VISIONARY MARCH, 1997 3 lVIanley "the Poli-tician
Manley's first campaign for elec then central Kingston constituency, and his party had retaliated in self Lord for the day of deliverance has ers of "terrorism; in marginal con tive office in 1967, took place now east central Kingston ·showed defence. It was said that his sup come." The song " we shall over stituencies where the JLP lost pre against a background of what was that Party heavy weight the late porters pressured him to supply come was sung as mass meetings at liminmycounts such as in northeast dubbed the "west Kingston wars." Wills Isaacs would lose. them with guns- a request which he which Manley preached that the Westmoreland-where a JLP win Darrell Levy in his book, Michael Consequently, the party hierarchy refused. rich people had captured the JLP ning margin of 32 votes became a Manley .. the making of a leader decided to tun Manley in central Manley opted to work with the and were behind the violence in the deficit of 44 votes on recmmt. The recalls that Manley's third wife, the Kingston and Isaacs in St Ann. police and avoid violence. The lower class areas. Historians period of the 1970s was undoubt fmmer Barbara LeWars, played a Manley was privy to discussions campaign which took on a religious recalled that Manley could have edly the heyday of Manley's politi major role in persuading him to within his partyon the violence and tone. His late father, Oxford-trained lost if the JLP candidate E. K. cal career. Manley's regime invest run. its remedy. Manley was convinced Barrister Norman Manley made Powell was better organised. ed heavily in social programmes an A poll conducted in what was that the JLP was responsible one broadcast entitled 'Praise the However, he scraped through by 43 fighting poverty. Programmes votes out of 10,000. Manley's vic such as special employment pro tory in 1967 paved the way for his gramme. skill training programme, bid for leadership of the party and JAMAL, community health aides, country. His first hurdle was freesecondary education, land lease crossed in Febmary 1969 when he were among a plethora of social succeeded his father as partyleader programmes initiated by the gov after defeating moderate Lawyer ernment. On the international Viv Blake 376 to 155 votes. In his scene, Manley went to bat for the acceptance speech, Manley empha New InternationalEconomic Order, sized equality, social justice, the Non Aligned Movement among problems faced by youth, crime, others which formed the plank of victimization, unemployment, the the PNP foreign policy. scandal of the electoral system and Manley's push for social reforms corruption and the arrogance of the was met with resistance locally and JLP leadership as his main con internationally. At home the politi cerns. cal picture was undennined by Now sitting at the top of his party, gloomy economic ctisis, world Manley dubbed "Joshua" selected more biblical themes as he inflation, increase oil prices, high embarked on the 1972 election cost of imports, decline of tourism campaign. Songs like "beat down and bauxite and the flight of capital. babylon,' 'Small Axe,' and 'Better As a result GDP collapsed from 3.9 must Come,' were some of the percent in1974to 0.4in1975. This popular songs used in the cam trend continued right down to 1980 paign. The PNP won 56 percent of the year when Manley and the PNP the vote, capturing 37 of the 53 was wiped by the JLP. After eight seats. The party won majorities years in the political wilderness from all urban classes. After the Michael Manley greeting members of a massive audience at one of his mass rallies. Manley emerged to defeat the JLP Manley was that dynamic speaker who could move a crowd through his rhetoric. election then JLP chairman and later editor of the Daily Gleaner in 1989. However. two years later accused some unnamed PNP lead- he quit public life due to ill health. A Manley, a fighter. towering politicalfigure ',�·chael Manley's was also a reluctant capitalist." career spanned a "He endeavoured to raise self · e of public ser esteem, racial pride and political for th�.. l!!ssfo rllf:nate vice characterised by revolution consciousness in the nation. He ary spirit. He was the anti-estab left this as a legacy which for lishment man whether he was bat many, was a mission accom tling management on behalf of plished. labour of the marketplace on "His deeds may be less cher behalfof the workplace. ished than his over�riding pursuit "The spirit to rebel was of he principles of his convictions death wm "His be underpinned by a deep sense of and the strident, even militant, mourned by. all Jamaicans, rejection of what he saw as injus commitment with which he deliv regardless of · colour, class or tice and what he felt should be ered his message." creed. Peoplf; throughout the attacked with moral outrage. This "Undoubtedly, one of the Caribbean and:the wider world he did with supremepolitical ora Caribbean's towering political will grieve af the loss of one tory, punctuating his arguments figures for 25 years, he left an who has left his indelible mad<: with colourful phrases and rich indelible impression in the inter on the international stage!' Opposition Leader "His outstanding intonation. Edward Seaga national arenaon friendand foe of achievements as a trade union "Yet he was not just an angry which there were many of both. leader, politi�, intetllati�rtaJ. . man. The other side of his con political life moreso than anyone "Indeed, he was a man to be statesman and distinguished troversial personality was widely else. As unyielding adversaries reckoned with on the world stage author coustitu,tepart of the rich. acknowledged charm which we knew where we stood with where he played a dominant role legacx he Etequeaths to hi§ made conversation with him easy each other as neither of us had the in the struggle against racism, par native land, to the Caribbean and even jocular, smooth in argu gift of hiding our feelings and ticularly on the Africancontinent. " region and the wider world atlar ge . ment, rich in laughter. reaction. "His passage leaves the "We>W111 always remember MichaelM:anley fdr his passianate "As a public leader, a role "When, in later life, he aban nation to reflect on his life and his fightfor social equityand justice and hiscommitment to theupliftment befitting his dominant personality, doned the socialist mission which family to embrace his beneft of the less fortunate in the.sqciety ." he was a galvanizing force. Many he pursued with deep conviction cience as father, husband and ''Spe�formyself, Ifeel a deepsenseofpeJ;Soiialloss for sam¢* would say his truerole was that of for 30 years and embraced the friend." one who was myleader, my colleague andmy friend. Nor can I forget a motivator of people not a doer of market system as the most effec "My deepest svmpathies and thewider circleof colleagues, supportersand friends who now grieve." deeds. He had both his share of tive way to fight oppression and those of the Jamaica LabourParty "On of the government and people of Jamaica, 1 wish to behalf victory and defeat in the causes he secure realbenefits, the fire of ear to his widow, Glynne and his chil express sincere sympathy to his widow Glynne, his children, Douglas, championed." lier years was missing. If he dren, who I know grieve deepest his brother and the r�t ofhis family." "He. was my counterpart in . bef;:ame .a re�tant sodahst, he of. all." THIBUTE TO A VISIONAHY MARCH, 1997 TRIBUTE TO A \1SIOK\RY
1be evidence is clear that people who succumb to depression do less well than people who remain up-beat In all of this the tests show that thosewho can maintain a sense of humour do best of all. • Your attitude is important in waysthat go far beyond you as an individ ual. The assault troops in your anny may be the doctors and the scientists but the most importmt people of all the members of your family and your close friends. In many way� it is they who make the battle that you are try ing to fight worthwhile. It is critical to remember that they hun and worry for you, even more than you do for yourself. If you can remain up-beat and make them a prut of the battle, you help them cope with their terror and sense of helplessness. Also. when you approach it in a cheerful but realistic way you show respect for the pain that they are feeling for you. In the end you will feel better and you will all develop a sustaining camaraderie. It is (Tire following article, '�ritten by the late Fonner Prime Minister Michael should be tested once a year after the age of 40just as women do with Pap you develop the attitude of a combatant andwhat is more, a combatant who always goodto remember that life will continue to involve opportunities for Manley shares his experiem:e with coping with cancer. Here he showed the Tests starting at an even earlier age. is not alone in the fight activity. work. enjoyment and sheer fun. The more of this the family shares strength ,�·as which characteristic of the man. andrhe hope and encourage When l leamed that I had prostate cancer in 1990. I discovered the the greater the bondsit creates and the easier to keepthe sadness and wony ment he extendedto persons banling cancer.) importance of taking the time to learn as much as I could about the di-.eao;e.I at bay. THE NEWS found that this provided me with a great weapon in my own defence. You Having said all that, and I beUeve all of it passionately, there remain� ur that we have struggl� in life do not invoh·e the elimination ofd£ ath, can come to know your own body and act as your own early detection sys the fear which we all feel from the first moment that we leam nly its delay. And even the delay is only worthwhile if we Let u<; tum to the time when it may be your misfortune to have your doctor tem to alert your doctors to changes that may be taking place. For example, been invaded by a life-threatening disease There will be the private o something positi'e for a'i long as we hale the chance. tell you that you have the dreaded "C'. You may have been sitting in hi� this can help them to know when a particular fonn of treatment is losing momento,; when you wonder about the progressions of the illness. The early \va.iting room. tense and concerned. As he comes throu!,h the door with an effectiveness ru1d that the Lime for a new regime has anived. If you pem1it fear will retum and vou will feel very alone. O expression of stuwed neutrality painted on his face. you will know that the up your wiU and the mood of de1ual. fearof being a botherto your doctor, or the fearof learn It is at these moment'> that you have to summon make Many eveloped countrie have made great stnde new·s is not good. Then he will tell you tlmt it is cancer. and in spite of the ing that a pmticula.r t is Josina control of the disease. to dett:nnine up your mind not to give in to your greatest enemy which � .he depression � in accepting illness . u-eatmc:n. ., as an objective fact of life. In so doing. they have developed private support moment to prepare yourself, thenews will hit you like a kick in the stomach. your al.tJom. • you can Sign your own earlydeath warrant. that i.; always lurking at the edge of your consciousness. I hnd it useful to sy�tems for palh:nt' and fam.ilie \\hO have their lives affi!Cted by scJious Everyone react<; to bad news in his own way. Some may M)rt out thei1 Ofcourse you ha,·e to a' oid thedanger of hypochondria. But if you arc 'bring up' my plruts mentally, ac; you would on a computer screen. In my di�es such a<> AIDS. cancer or other life-thrcaten.ing conditions. With a reactionsquickly while others need time to intemai.Jse what they have heard. in a combative. mthcr than a self-pitying mood, and if you have acquire<:: ca-.e thismay involve a nook that r m think of writing. a family holiday that few notable exception� such a' the Jamaica Cancer Scx.·iety and the Jamaica Whether quick or slow it is imperative that one face· the danger of enough knowledge about the disease you will be able to avoid driving yow we are planning. or educational targets for the younger member<> of my fam . AIDS Support Group. wry little of this kind of community suppo1t is avail denial and fight off the feeling of depression. ll1is isthe mom nt to summon doctor and the people around you crazy as you Cf) . Wolf. wolf' at the tly. TI1e best antidote for fear is the positi'e identification of target<> and ' able in Jamaica. Having lived tlu·ough my rather active mct.hcal hilltory since your capacity for reasoned response and to maintain a sen�c of perspective, slightest ache or pain. hopes and o�it.:ctivesfor yourself and thosewho are doseto you. When�ou DaddyM anley the 1980s. a numlxr of people have suggested that I might try to shan! some For example. a qukk review of the causes of death will remind you, as )OU P�tatc l':mcer tends to be a fonn of the dise The key to the prospect of successful treatment of these diseases is early detection. Today. most women take Pap Tests and mammograms as a mat ter of course. l11i� alliance between woman, doctors and medical science is a victory of cofTimonsense. Bv contrast. I feel that men are a long way behind in accepting prostate cancer. the fonn of the disease that is peculiar to our gender and of which I have six years of experience. Once aga.in, early detection is a criti cal factor. And here I wish to issue a warning. Many men. particularly after 40. are diagnosed as having an enlarged prostate. This is handled with a \'Cry . imple surgical procedure and very often the accompanying biopsy reveal� no cancerous activity. When this happens the patient must not treat the matter a-. a clo!�ed chapter. All too frequently men who have had the good fortune to learn that their condition was benign assume that they are aybe t11at fo nate. Howeve . �e success pe011anently reprieved. Some IT! � � . ful removal of a lxnign growthm a p rostate 1s absolutely no mwcation that there wiJI not be subsequent cancer. My first word of advice to a man who has been through this experi ence and come out relieved. is that he mu.st institute a sy tern of regular checks with the doctor so that there is the earliest detection of any ubse quent less friendly. development. Tn fact the time has come when :�II men BeverleyManley-4th wife 6 MARCH 1997 TI en Ken Hill, then That same year(l953), he was wing of the Jamaica Labour The course of events in sequent negotiations and settle President of the Trades again actively engaged in trade Movement, and he began to win Michael Manley's tradeunion and ments, that workers were entitled Union Congress of union polls conducted by the his spurs, as it were, as a top nego political career was marked by to be re-instated in their jobs where Jamaica, passed through London LabourDepartment among bauxite tiator as well as a vigorous and suc what may be justly described as a they were found, in a free and fair on his way to an Executive workers to determine representa cessful organiser in a union moth series of unplanned entries into the trial, to have been dismissed Meeting of the World Federation tional rights between the rue, ered by the opposition People· s respective sectors of the Jamaican wrongfully. of Trade Unions in Rome in May, which the PNPhad abandoned the National Party of which his father, Labour Movement. This, in Michael Manley's 1948, Michael Manley who was year before, and the NWU. which Norman Manley, was leader. From childhood Michael unpredictable public career, was studying in England then, was that Party had created as its indus In January 195 5 the PNP won Manley was said to have had a considered to be yet another associated with him in trying to trial ally in order to match the the Government of Jamaica for the strong personal abhorrence of vio "watershed" in the development of obtain from British trade unions Jamaica Labour Party. The NWU first time, and the late Noel lence. At the same time, he admit the Jamaican trade union move financial as well as moral support captured the bauxite workers from Newton ("Crab") Nethersole relin ted, however, that he understood ment to which he contributed. of the rue bus strike in Kingston. the rue which was then affiliated quished the office of President of revolution "based on intellectual In 1959, Michael Manley Inevitably, he to no political party, and staked out the NWU to become Minister of ideas". So, in the historical strike authorised a strike, on behalf of the became involved in the "split" its "dollar-an-hour" claim for these Finance in the first PNP of workers employed by the NWU, among sugar workers, which occurred in the PNP in workers. In the deadlock which Government Similarly, Aorizel Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation which led to the appointment of the 1952, when the PNP broke with ensued between the newly-organ Glasspole, MP, gave up his job as (JBC), although it lasted 93 days famous Goldenberg Commission. the rue and promoted the organi ised union and the bauxite compa NWU General Secretary to and there was massive confronta The Union's presentation of the sation of the National Workers nies, the famous Honeyman become Minister of Labour. Ken tion in the streets - confrontation sugar workers' case was prepared Union (NWU) For Michael Arbitration Tribunal was appoint Sterling moved up from Island which prevented people from by Carl Hall and Michael Manley Manley this was a "traumatic expe ed. Supervisor to become the union's going to or leaving the Palisadoes in a series of sessions which occu rience". In that year, he addressed pied no less than five nights a more than 100PNP group meet week, lasting some eight hours on ings throughout the island, mostly each occasion. And the "brief' in the Corporate Area of Kingston they prepared was considered by & St Andrew. So when the NWU sophisticated trade union experts as was formed in April 1952, arising a "classic''. out of the crisis between the PNP Through the NWU' s "classi and the Michael Manley was rue, cal" presentation of the sugar asked toassist by addressing NWU workers' case, it was discovered - organising meetings. In that way, and proved to the Goldenberg he became involved in a strike by Commission's satisfaction that the the workers employed by Jamaican sugar industry bad Ariguanabo Textile Mills at Spanish Town. This was his first under-reported its profits by £2 practical experience of and � $4 miUif.lll Ha.WI8 involvement in a workers' strike accepted this as a fact, Goldenberg (1952). Lalec tbatyear. he became awarded the highest wage increase involved in a three-cornered juris in the history of the Jamaican sugar dictional battle for tradeunion rep workers. who as a trade union resentation of the sametextile mills group, h d heen the al most exclu workers. The contest was between sive prot ge\: ol the BITU for 21 the rue. the BITU and the NWU. years u til then. The Award A poll was held by the amounted to £1 .100, 000 (or Government's LabourDepartment $2,200,000)!! and the NWU won the 1ight to be The NWU · chieved ascen recognised a.<; the bargaining agent dancy O\ r t11e BITL in the sugar of the workers. The PNP Leaders industry in 1959, ,md Michael were then actively engaged in Veteran trade unionists and former prime ministers Hugh Shearer and Michael Manley Manley acquired the glory. organising the NWU as its trade discussed issues related to the employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) and the trade It therefore fell to Michael union arm, and Michael Manley union movement prior to the start of the seminar of the Joint Confederation of Manley' lot, hi torically, and in was invited by Wills 0. Isaacs, 1995 M.P. to attend a meeting at the Trade Unions at the Pegasus (FILE PHOTOJ keeping \vith his training and tem Labour Department where the perament, for him to claim to have NWU's wage claims on behalf of Michael Manley reversed his made an lmtstandmg contribution General Secretary. International Airport - there was the Ariguanabo textile mills work occupational role by giving up his to the intelle<.:tual development of This was Michael Manley's "main no violence. Not one blow was ers were being negotiated by repre full time job at the "Public the trade union movement in chance", and he became NWU's struck! And Michael Manley was sentatives of the union and the Opinion" and launched a full-time Jamaica, by negotiating sophisti Island Supervisor - the position in charge. The exciting demonstra company. But Wills Isaacs was career in trade unionism . which he held up to the time of his tion was, however, less fundamen cated trade union agreements also engaged in a bye-election Assuming a full-time post in election to office as PNP President tal or far-reaching than the princi which refined the gains made by campaign in Eastern Portland the NWU, Michael Manley started in place of his father, Norman, who ples involved in that strike. Those the Trades l nion Congress (TUC) occasioned by the sudden death of organising workers employed in retired from active politics in 1968. principles were (I) the right of a in the early days of its primitive Sir Harold Allan, then Minister of the sugar industry. His focal point<; As Island Supervisor Michael worker to a free and fair trial on struggle with the Bustamante Finance in the ruling Jamaican were Caymana..-;, Bernard Lodge, Manley was put in charge of indus any charge made against him, Industrial Trade Union for the loy Labour Party Government. And Bybrookand New Yarmouth sugar trial relations and organisation. beforedismissal; (2) the right of a alty and the mind of the Jamaican without warning or notice, Wills estates. Thereby. de facto, he became the worker found to have been wrong workers. Isaacs suddenly went off to The NWU was now making unofficial leader of the NWU. On fully dismissed to be re-instated. Michael Manley's Portland and left Michael Manley headway, and with it, Michael total Principle, it was understood, he The JBC strike and its atten holding the union's "brief' at the Manley as a promising Trade personal i1 oh ement in the trade declined to run for the position of dant consequences of mass con negotiating table! Once again. Union personality who would have union mm ment extended over the President of the union, because his frontation and profound dialogue things were not working according to be reckoned within the years that period of September 1952 to father, Norman, was President of on the sensitive, controversial to Michael Manley's plans. But lay ahead. Indeed. as the newly February 1%7, when, for the first the PNP to which the NWU was question of job securitysoon after there was opportunity aplenty. and organised union moved ahead, time, he ... ntested election to a affiliated.Thus the charge of wards forced Jamaican employee, M;chael seemed willing enough to Manlev's career became inextrica public offi Nepotism was being strategically from then and on, to agree. in sub- grasp it. bly bO'und up with the industrial · was exclu and skillfully avoided. TRIBUTE TO A VISIONARY MARCH 1997 7 Manley writer, orator chael Manley was a true orator. He could speak on England. I used to tum the collarand patch the things, and almost any subject, without a text, and hold the keep it in one piece andall that... And you know he's tall and Mttention of his audience from start to finish. imposing and when he was young he used to sortof get It is reported that in a speech class at school, the teacher the attention of the audience, he would stand up a the mike gave an assignment and each student had to do a recital in when he was ready tosp eak, he'd wear hisjacket, I mean it class. Dudley Thompson who was Michael's best friend did could be ninetydegrees, he wouldn 't say anything, he'djust his presentation first, and the teacher was so impressed he slowly start totake itoff. It soundslike the strip tease, it real gave Dudley ten out of ten. When Michael did his presenta ly wasn't, but ithad the same effe ct... on the fe malepart of tion, the teacher had no choice but to give him eleven out of his audience: 'Lord, Young Boy ', I wouldstand at the back, ten. squirming, quietly, but knowing that it was necessary. From a boy Michael Manley had a skill in combining words probably due to this he was so passionate in every thing Joshua he fe lt and did. Here he recalls a confrontation he had with He adopted the name Joshua and brandied the 'Rod of hisheadmaster who said Jamaica College 'had almost gone to Correction', a cane given to him by Haile Selassie himself. the dogs'. Manley pledged 'Better Must Come', that 'Its time for a gov I was fit to be tied. I was bitter about this fe isty little ernment of love', to be achieved through 'Power for the English11Uln coming here to suggest that our school and People' . our headmaster, that we'd all loved... and I led a protest Remember the sweeping brooms, the slogans, 'Change movement and de11Ulndedaud ience, andtold him that we all or Perish' 'Change, Baby, Change' and 'Change Time Now.' bitterly resentedthis remarkabout our schooL 'We do not thinkwe have ever seen an election as con Michael Manley was probably the only student who ever THE ORATOR: �'I believe that history will find fused as this week's election -Daily Gleaner 1972. resigned from school, instead of accepting an expulsion. This that (Norman) Manley was not so much wrong is his comment: about (about WI Federation) as ahead of his 'We know where we are going' That story, tothis day, evokes very deep, disturbedemo time." tion in me, just as a confession. Andthat story is a lot of Manley leads by example: Whenthose who are moreprivileged in the society... wiU what I am. Now you make whateveryou like of thatstory. nothing since the night before, bolstered by a halftum But that story is me, raw, me as aman. That's how I am. and never pick up a broom to sweep their own verandah, they blerof neat rumI arrivedat the Patriot Groupar ound How he was? He was also a writer. He wrote many let 8:30 create that attitude thatup topick a broom is amark of infe pm in a state that bordered upon jectab terror. My speech ... ters to his fam ily from Canada: riority ] donot believe I have a right to lead thiscountry if was distinguished 11Ulinly fo r the fa ct that it not You know Dad,I amfa r away but my heartis right with had I am unwilling to show that I respect thedignity of my own you in thefight - I hope one day to be able to carry on in occurredto me that you have to work out the ending. After person. They mock, they laugh, they treat life like a joke I saidall the things fo r which I elaborately pre my own way- ifnot from theplatform-oJ leastfrom an had had whilepeople are· sufferingoutside. Whilethe y are laughing, pared myselffo r at least two weeks, I suddenly realized that editorial desk. Wei� that's a long way off. (1943) let them remember the television cameras are -upon them I didnot know how tobring itall to aclose. Around this time he also wrote: 'I know that I shall live and the sufferers are watching them, and so when you see I remember stumbling through a series of sentences each more or less by the pen.' Manley retmned to Jamaica in me... get into Barnes Gully andpick up abroom and work more desperately disconnectedfrom the main theme than December 1951 and started writing in early 1952 an opinion one before, as I searchedfo r a None came fo r t}zem, I am only setting an example. column 'The Root of the Matter' for the journal Public the climax. and in the end I astonished my audience by sittingdown in the Opinion: This country is not for sale' middleof a sentence which didn 't seem tobegin in any par Kingston's masses are angry. They are angry ticularploce andwas certainlyproceeding in no discernible I warnthis country we are headingfo r an explosion because they are hungry. They are angry because they direction. The applause that fo llowed sometime later because the fa ith of the people is running out ... Only ajust have been abused for toolong ... They arelosing what little stemmed, I suspect, more from sympathy than admiration. society can be viable because itis only justice that endures faith they ever had in the future. This orator-to-be made over one hundred speeches Surprisingly, Michael Manley was described as 'shy in in hu11Ulnaffairs. am I opp osed to communism, passionate in1952 public' and he had to overcome 'a tremendous fearof public ly . I am opposed. .. to allfo rms of subversion, passionately. His wife at the time,The lma Manley recalls: speaking. Before his first speech, Edna Manley prescribed a Let us understandthat it isnot necessary to destroy tomake · There was a great deal of sex app eal in it... He hadthis strong drinkto ease his panic'. He describes the event : change. - Michael Manley in a campaign message marvelous old sort of suede jacket that he brought up from I very nearly never made it. In the end, having eaten Someone we cherish... ''I have been profoundly saddened and overcome by grief when I was informed of the passing of Michael who was not only to me and my late husband, a relative, but more so someone who we cherished as a person in the commitment of his life to the welfare of his fe llow Jamaicans. He will be remem bered for his enthusiasm and dynamism in his quest to unite Jamaica with the rest of the Caribbean. Lady Bustamante On a lighter side, he was not only an astute politician and statesman, but an avid sportsman, who dedicated his life to the promotion of sports, as a way of moulding young people into being better citizens. Through it all, we had a warm and extremely cordial relationship. I will surely miss him and will always remember his charm,charisma and great concernfor the less for tunate." 8 MARCH , 1997 TRIBUTE TO A VISIONARY hisother, with boxing dose behind. the seeds of his enthusiasm for By Raymond Sharpe He could even be said to be much cricket were sown in 1935 when he closer to boxers than cticketers, was 10 and his father Nonnan pro chael Manley was a beittg a one-time boxing manager vided him with the experience of sportsman at heart, with a and with a knowledge and under watching a West Indies Test victory Mpassion for cricket and standing of boxing which could at Sabina Park. Since then, he has boxing and a profound and sincere only be matched by that of his been a devoted fo llower of the respect for our champions in sports. favourite game�ricket. game and a visceral supporter of the Talk to lmninaries like Herb He saw cricket as very special West fudies. His influence in inter McKenley, Michael Holding, and elaborated on it in his book. "ill national cricket affairs is legendary Donald Quarrie, Lawrence Rowe, all of this cricket is special. First of as is evidenced with his role during Merlene Ottey, Michael McCallum, all there is the game itself; obscure the Kerry Packer years and the issue or Clive Lloyd who wrote the fo re to the uninitiated; arcane for the of South Africa's re-admission to word for his monmnental work 'A enthusiast trying to communicate Test cricket. History of West Indies Cricket' his excitement; yet withal; graceful His affectation to boxing was and you will understand the influ and athletic though sometimes just as strong as that to cricket and ence that the man Michael Manley requiring patience to a degree that he could be seen regularly at ring SPORTSMEN: Michael Manley chatting with Jamaica had on them. can be mistaken for the call of side whether the action was live or Herald sports editor Raymond Sharpe and CVM sports To use his own words, that duty". it was the big screen telecasts in the presenter Ian Andrews at a 1996 charity Dinner Boxing publication was "a tribute to that The Michael Manley Trust National Stadium and National presentation held at the Wyndham hotel company of men who have given Fund which he set up some years Arena during the years when one of such stars as Rowe, Quanie and game of cricket to which he direct the West fudian people· a special ago for the island's young cricketers his great favomites, Muhammad Ottey whose careers were greatly ed much of his great intellect in reminder of our uniqueness and evi in the Sunlight Cup and Headley Ali, was holding court. He was a encouraged and assisted by the exploring the sub-culture of the dence of our collective capacity". Cup competitions will remain ·a source of great inspiration and sup social policies of Manley's govern game in the West fudies :Michael Manley was a special lasting and cherished legacy of port to McCallum who was to ment. In the words of Michael type of cricket person. If politics Jamaica's cticket. become Jamaica's frrst world box But next to politics and the Manley, ''West fudian cricket is like was his first love, then cticket was He explained in his book that ing champion. The same is true for trade union movement, it was the a metaphor for social history". ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• How they remember him... · The RetirementYe ars: Mavis Monis... George Lyn of North Central Oarendon.•. W:th retirement, the burden Tanzania, Julius Nyrere; senior Ifit wasn 't fo r him, the He was the fa ther of the nation It is said that when of official and public Consultant in Jamaica to the Inter majority of us all would men have do ne their best on earth angels in heaven office was lifted, but American Development Bank on ' the Employeo Shar G�ersbip still be bastard�... you can t dono more . Miclutel Michael Manley remained as busy had do ne what he could fo r as ever. Programrne (ESOP); sole know the slogan: 'Nuh bas As senior partner of the Consultant to the Jamaica Bauxite the time he stayed with us, tard nuh deh again, every Consulting firm of Manley and Institute charged with the task of and I hope this day will be one lawful. ' He had also Manley, he was involved in promoting a new era of union sta remembered fo r many bility and expansion in the bauxite paved the way fo r wmnen research and advice to various bod years andyears to come ies in tourism, mining, and other industry; Lecturer to overseas lead to have equal rights, justice from generation to genera areas of activities. ers attending the Trade Union and pay in this country. Education Course at the University tion On the international and national scenes, he was Honorary of the West Indies; and a member of President of Socialist International the Council of Freely Elected AngeUa Lawrence, since 1992, Visiting Fellow at Heads of Government at the Carter from East Central Wesleyan University in 1992, Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, PNP C..onstituency ... Emory University 1993, Cornell �he chainnan of which is President I am one person who really University 1994 and Illinois Jimmy Carter. love to hear when he speak .. Shedrack 'Phantom" Western University 1995, and was He also used the opportunity of he spoke like a leader, and ADen... elected Honorary Tmstee of the !at retirementto revise a second edition he was indeeda good leader I never, and will never ter University in 1996. of the most definitive book ever too. Through JAMAL, he have thegood fo rtune to see, Acting on behalf of CARl written on West fudies c1icket, a made it possible fo r 1nany meet, and work with another COM, he co-ordinated the fmma History of West Indies Cricket, Jamaicans who could not person, politician, prime j tion of the Association of Caribbean published a definitive analysis on readand write become liter- minister and statesnzan like States (ACSO in 1994. And acting the role of Professor Rex ate (lnd numerate; and even women had equal the nzan Michael Manley through the Organisation of Nettleford, formulated a series of rights, justice andpay all because of him. wasup until death. He is a American States he co-ordinated proposalsto the West fudies Cricket man of his word, and his the first Economic Surmnit of this Board of Control on the future of word was his bond. organisation 1995. West fudies cricket and was cur He also engineered the entry of rently working on his ninth book Wesley Borger ... Primrose Cbanner ... the United Nations in the process which seeks to fmmulate strategies As a young man, not really Mr Manley was like a leading to the restoration of for the way forward for the democ lawwing about the political fa ther to me. He was President Aristide and Haitian ratic left in the developing world. ideology back then, I always there fo r poor peo democracy, headed the Observer respected the man ple. There were moments Mission of the Commonwealth at He established the Michael that you would gladly (Michael) because of his turn the first elections in new South Manley Cricket Tmst which pro of fyour stove and go and stance as a strong person, Africa. vides four scholarships each year to be in his presence. ... in the sense that he stood He was a Member of the young cricketers of outstanding Where ver he wasgoing. up fo r wh<.lt he believed. He UNESCO Commission on cricket ability and sound academic politically speaking, 1 always had the people 's Education for the 21st Century performance. would justjump on the interest at heart, that chaired by Jack Delors; Member of He also continued to manage and bandwagon and gone. the Executive Board of the South his small coffee farm in the Blue could be seen, and fe lt. That was how / loved Mr Commission, the Chainnan of Mountains at Guava Ridge- in the Manley. which is fo rmer President of hills of St Andrew. to talk about intelligeJIL to ocar on the problem. .t\ p.Jth IXL';Cd on reality ru, bcttc:r for two the vruioustt!.. ,ts. such a" the PSA rcadmg li·om rea'iOns. a bi\X ample, \\luch are ctitical to early FIGHTING TEAM d. Firstly. medical science has mad . and �.:ontinu s to make. incredible ' . 1 r ill I go inti' tho! various s �·ou react posllJVc\y you set up