The Sunday Gleaner, December 31, 1967, p. 6. UGH_SHEARER ���·�·�· Man of t e -1967 .
by.-: � There -�heis Political �Reporter hardly any· person ir. ALEXANDER'S WITHDRAWAL sm FROM T� POLITICAL scene has �o changed othe Jamaica who will be surprised at thE • thmgs to a great extent. For mstan.ce, one r·�- been a loss in the personal power selectton of the Hon. H u h Shear· sult has ct • g Mr. Norman Manley. It seems that people na-
• Sir Alexander. er, a s Jamatca's political 0 l-'turally paired Mr. Manley with man and therefore the withdrawal of one means e tl 19 6 7 • He has towered head and gradual eclipse of the other. It is not that Mr. Manley )las lost his public standing: it just is s hou ld ers over every other Jamaican that people do not think of him any longer as • • • way 1• • the man to beat Mr. Shearer, in the same po ttlctan th" past year the tm,;as he was always considered the man to beat IS m • • • Sir Alexander Bustamante, pact h e h has d a ott the pohttcal hfe In other words, since the elections in Febru- J a t s a o£ Jamaica and in the influence��;.:. n te c te n e ��g s:� r�� o��� �!e!, ��; �a; a� �t�hill he has had on public affairs. a n p i . h h ne !�remarkable�� � �:: job.��; �; � �a: � �� �� : Indeed, as a public figure he has burst on whole is that out the Jamaican scene in such a The irony in the thing c u nO' s n Shearer did not consciously seek F:pe tar lar fashion' layi � his hand o 'Mr·. office until the last moment. It is not aU aspects of the nation 'll life that it made it unnecessary this year f�r me to that Mr. Shearer did not consider himself balance and weigh as ever being Prime Minister of Jamai one a()'ainst� the other n i dividual contributions to political de- ca, in spite of the fact that he resisted velopment in Jamaica made by one claim- all the pressures brought to bear on him by Sir Alexander and Lady Bustamante ant or the other for this title. I must remind you that this column selects to remove Mr. Sangster and take over every year's end, the �an or th e woman leadership of the party during the last has :nade the greatest unpact on the isla'1d'swho . . pubhc (more specifically political) life for electlon. It was more Ill the nature of or gond J;>ad; and that generally speaking neither Mr. Shearer that he could not see himself, Alexander Bustamante nor Mr. Norman Sir · ley� the two stalwarts of the JamMa!l-�n'!�n as others could see themselves, actively �.c., p_ol1hcal scene were considered for selection, removing . Sangster from a position Mr · he smce . m the very nature of things their ou:- • ' s ha d spen t many years m creat' 1ng s1mp y tandmg rivalries so controlled and directed 11 1 political energies o:f the Jamaican public, th because Sir Alexander wanted it so. In 1t would have been well �1 nigh impossible to st>- fact Mr. Shearer placed the whole weight lect any person but one of these two year after · • year after year. of the BITU behmd l\Ir. Sangster m that The scene has changed. Sir Alexander fight for leadership At that time he was mante, thrtlugh age and infirmity, has Busta- · ' drawn from the political field; and that is with-what prepared to g1ve Mr. Sangster the leader- has been responsible for the change in the facts ship of the Jamaica Labour Party for as of political life in Jamaica today. Up to the as e w t e d 1 , W e hil e h s t ay d time of his withdrawal, the grand old man o f 1 ong 1 1 an 'i � Jamaican politics relished the situation in which back and looked on, content in the behef l the late Sir Donald Sangster �ound hi.ms.e f. It that he could position himself behind Mr. eant that he could use fachons w1thm . J'LP and control everyone that way, becauthese Sangster and assume leadership when e':'eryone WBil. then jostling for succession Mr. Sangster retired. S1r Donald d1dn't know where he would �ng-etd support if he should make a frontal attack on But this was not to be; Sir Donald Sangste:-, the citadels of leadership, as he was then, died, and Mr. Shearer wa�. It is forced by circumstances and by the prodd;u� perhaps a pity that Sir Donald lived onl for on month of elements within and without ±he JLP, to � � after his assumptio of unc1rcu scn consider himself for immediate leadershiv. � �ed power, for we have no n o knowmg There were many who did not relish leadership ! JUSt what kind of Prime Minister\\•ay Sn· o 1ald by either Mr. Tavares or Mr. Lightbourne � � would have made without the a"d overndmg these were the only two� alternatives, Mr. presence of Sir Alexander and if without Shearer did not choose to slHind. having to worry about the fact of It is an interesting commentary on the �· Lightbourne and Mr. Tavares looking cntically strength of Sir Alexander's advocacy that over his shoulders at his every was his political heir, that many perMr. v tmuulant him. Shearer ..cila.Jlfla.io sons considered him just that, at a time when he held no post of leadership within the Ja maica Labour Party Executive and in fact did not campaign for the post of Prime Minister. He was Canada with Dr. Herbert Eldemir in a eside while Mr. Tavares and er' Mr. -- accession to the Prinle Minis t�jthtl:iourne were carrymg ou eJr car>1- r. hearer's has ushered in a new era palgns amon� the MPs and the JLP branches. ter's office, therefore, effectively and conclusi?e What campaign there was for Mr. Shearer was in Jamaica's politics, of the Bustamante/Manley undertaken unbidden and jointly by Mr. Ed ly marking the end the reins of power, �o ward Seaga, Mr. Edwin Allen and Mr. period, yet holding Victcr still hands of this remarkable Gra!lt. And so it was that Mr. Shearer far, firmly in the went and third cousins wno straight from the Palisadoes Airport on hi� re family of first, second of the legendary Old turn f�·om Canada to face the other two candi are the descendants M<..n dates m ballots to select a new Prime· Minister Shearer. Minister, Mr. something which had only come about becau�� Since his election as Prime the party and both Mr. Seaga and Mr. Grant had prevent�d Shear'er has won more support in among the back the Go_vernor-General from taking unilateral strengthened his position . and m · his Parliamentary Majority actwn favour of one of the other candidafes benchers of in large, as expressed - Mr. Lightbourne. among party delegates at Lead Up to this very moment Sir Alexander trilld his unopposed election to be 1st Deputy to use his considerable influence in favour er, under Bustamante, at the party's last annual of Mr. Shearer, At the balloting, Mr. E. L. convention. Parkinson, the then JLP Chairman of C. Executive, received from Sir Alexander thea In the Cabinet he has taken charg"- as Mr. Jetter to be read to the MPs. The Jetter was a Sangster was never permitted to do, "'nd !HI� strong recommendation for Shearer, but be given it positive leadership. He demands action is fore the balloting Mr. Parkinson called the from his Ministers and he gets it. The result three contestants together - Shearer, Tavares that the Cabinet is doing more work and the and Lightbourne - and after reading the Civil Service is getting Ministerial decisiOns letter to them, proposed ·that It should not be promptly. read as requested by Sir Alexander because His public pronouncements,. particularly on r violence, and the need for work and sac ifice, could be interpreted as a "speech"... and tt the "no nonsense" sobriquet which he �reated hadit been decided before Shearer's return to for himself, all have a touch of the old Busta the island that none of the three eontestants mante magic, with something added - t!:le should address the MPs gathered to ch11ose a forcefulness of a younger man. Shearer has had ne�v Prime Minister for Jamaica. Although The result has been that Mr. all sec thts was a serious disadvantage to Mr. great response and cooperation from Shearer - he had not yet had a chance to tions of the community, even PNP Opposition were speak to anyone and had been unable to cam members attack him much less than they . Sang�ter. )Jaign because of his absence from the wont to attack Sir Alexander or Mr Civil Se!' - he agreed to Parkinson's proposalisland and There is a general quickening of the have Bustamante's JetterMr. of support for him W r- -._ .��A � rN�AAi L�L�th�e�s= e-�a�re�to� g� e�n h.er�� a��n n�- �-x�c �a�lrl ��u �t· �n��� m1rable g --�m�e� �r=-��=�xa n�• · �rformance !or a new Prime Minister e and partit:ularly ' when it is considered that it uer BuAtamante continued to spe�k of Mr. all t� period he was faced with the need tc Shearer as "his son" and as his establish _himself as a. political "heir personality m a e " the Jama�ca� �cene, the ppar nt . And there is a little kno w1th necessity to bent • • wn down an mc1p1ent a_ttack on his leadership anecdote connected with th1s. On among i!'o;:n one certam of h1s own colleagues soon aftei OC· he was elected by the rasion in Bustamante was presiding MPs ballot, and when he · 1963. had to . . keep a level head through the rumours at a Cabmet meetmg 1n Duke Street, and spe�ulations the Maffessanti the o! issue (new when he appeared to have become e ed subJect of official . . . v x an inquiry), the Munroe . · affair, de�aluation and _ its attendant worries. As With all h1s M1msters around him on I see 1f 1t, this trend continues, it's going to some ssue take a great i then before the Cabinet for deal of organization ·to beat Mr. l's' · W Shearer at the polls. dec ion ith his usual candour Busta- BUT WHO IS ' MA N SHEARER? · mante looked around him at his Cabinet Born May Tms on at Mart.ha Brae, Tr-:!· lawny, Mr. 18, 1923, Ministers (they were all present in lud Shearer went to St. Simon's College· c · as . . ' . a Parish Scholarship winner. He joined ,he ing the three maiD rivals for leadership BITU's staff - a tall g�gling lad - in April Mr. Sangster l\Ir. Lightbourne and Mr. 1941 attached to the umon's weekly paper '',Ta· ' . . maica Worker". His first promotion. came 10 Tavares), then pomtmg to Shearer when and 1943, Sir Alex�nder Bustamante new:y he said: am going to put you in thi d n o "1 s o p t :klf·u � h�::!r seat one day." The story has it that ����;��der his ��� ��!� !�g ; : � ���: . wings from then. As Bustamante becarne while there was an uncomfortable Sl· more and more involved with the Jamaica La· enee l\Ir· 'Shearer kept his ·eyes steady bour Party, Mr. Shearer went on to further 1 ' promotion within the union and acquired a on the papers before him.. Government Trade Union scholarship und�r I HA VE GIVEN YOU A SHORT DESC&lP• CD&W in 1947-48. TION of the public life of the man, Shearer. He first moved into the political field It ":'hen h�e was the qualities which he exhibi�ed tliese was elected a Councillor of the KSAC m in 1!14.. varied fields aided and abetted by S1r Aie:dnder He was appointed Island Supervisor of the Bustamante's unswerving h BITU and elected Vice-President confidence im of the union, which led inevitably to his selection as in a post he still holds, at around Prima the same Limt>. Minister of Jamaica in April this year. He was elected to · the House of Represental.ives It was, however, his own confblellt aeH• as a member for Western Ki.ngston 1955·!'>9, possession and his own forceful and cllreoi per and on being defeated was appointed to formance in this new pon, his blunt Legislativ the e Council. He was a member of the ness on public Issues, . which outspoken• Senate (and its LelW:Ier) from to at a deep Influence on political havelife had such the same 1962 1967, time filling the role of Jamaica's chief and It for these .reasons UDhnttaWtrlYIn .Jamaica, spokesman on foreign affairs as is that I Dep ty ·Chief o! select the Prime Minister, Mission (under Bustamante) at Shearer, as Political Man ofthe Year, Bea. Bar il . South• the the 1ll8'1. . he was e fer tions This year on appomted ,...""".4._e .... Minister ern Clarendon and � the death of Sir d af a distinguish· As a trade u�'""?�nist �:n:!ctad · is career, particularly as a ne�l!t or. H ed tradet union actiVities have serve: d sead, ar nto con· National Library of Jamaica having brought him throug e YI � thof the: tact with a wide cross-section community employers, ra t workers• civil· servants, · d- - ' wnie e dge� o associations g g h m f - lV� r � i knOWi fields1 that... social and econonuc cond 1 t o�s . n entally to Jamaica life-the BU�ar matter fundam Jn• industry the bauxite industry, the. banana dustry, the citrus industry, othe� agr1cul�ral ir.i� busmesa dustnes,· shi ing • manufacturmg, general localPP governmen t dan the problems of m e Gov worker� in Local Government an d th . ld ernment subordinate ranks. These are fl.� I no politician who was not a trade union which t ; ist concerned with day by day, year o yea negotiations to conduct, C