ADDRESS BY THE RT. HON. OWEN ARTHUR PRIME MINISTER ON THE OCCASION OF THE RE-OPENING OF THE WEST WING OF PARLIAMENT NOVEMBER 22, 2006 2 In every form of Government known to mankind, and particularly in a Democracy, the land on which the Legislature is located is regarded with some reverence. Trollope captured that reverence well in the sentiments he put in the mouth of one of the characters of his novel “Can You Forgive Her”: “I have told myself, in anger and in grief, that to die and not to have won that right of way, though but for a session – not to have passed through those lamps (on either side of the St. Stephen’s entrance) – is to die and not to have done that which it most becomes an Englishman to have achieved”. Thus, the mere mention of the Palace of Westminster or Capitol Hill to mention two such familiar locations, conjures up in the mind locations which are not mere pieces of real estate, but places of deep constitutional and historical significance, where the people’s business is conducted and the outcome of their democratic right to vote finds practical expression. I am sure therefore that you appreciate as I do, the importance and significance of the reopening of the West Wing of our Parliament Buildings. It bears repeating that within the Commonwealth of Nations, our Parliament, is the third oldest political institution. Only the Parliament at the Palace of Westminster and the Parliament in Hamilton Bermuda are older; and our Parliamentary System of Representative Government is therefore 367 years old. 3 A glance back through the pages of our history will reveal that the original Parliament of 1639 though representative did not reflect a composition produced by the application of the principles of adult suffrage. Yet, as a representative system it contained within itself the seed, which when fully germinated, produced genuine Adult Suffrage in 1951 and Independence in 1966. So that the celebration of our 40th year of Independence provides a suitable and fitting backdrop for the opening of this West Wing. The Parliament Buildings themselves were completed in 1874. They are described “as a masterpiece of Gothic Architecture, built of coral limestone, strategically placed in the heart of our Capital”. This West Wing was completed first in 1872, and has accommodated several principal offices of Government. At various times it has housed the offices of the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, The Auditor General, The Accountant General, the Postmaster General, the Comptroller of Customs, The Provost Marshal and the Director of Education. Of equal importance is the fact, that the offices of some of the first Ministers of Government were located within this Wing on the beginning of the Ministerial System of Government in 1954 until the Government Headquarters on Bay Street, was ready for occupation. It has therefore been privy to the formulation of policy, as well as to discussions for the execution of that policy. 4 The East Wing which houses the House of Assembly and the Senate Chamber, and which formerly housed the Legislative Council- the immediate predecessor of the Senate- and the Chambers of the Attorney General and the Solicitor General and the Legal Draftsman, was completed in 1873. We are therefore meeting this evening in an area which contains much of our rich constitutional and political history. This West Wing stands, among other things, as a chronic reminder of many of the administrative decisions made by Colonial officials whose offices were located here in times past. In addition, because it was completed before the East Wing, its walls and columns if they were to speak, could recount for us some of the great debates and the monumental battles conducted across the Parliament Yard in the East Wing, to which it bore, and still bears, silent if monumental witness. Politics has been described as the moral equivalent of war, and this West Wing has seen and heard the champions of the masses and the heroes of the people, mighty men and women, of enlightment, both black and white, as they fought valiant and successful battles for the full flowering of the seed planted in 1639 into the democratic system of governance such as we have now. Time does not allow for a comprehensive recount of all the historic debates, but I must mention some of the important political discussions and statements which were delivered less than a stone’s throw from 5 where we now sit tonight. I think, for instance of the Great Debate on the Confederation Issue in 1876, which culminated in the Executive Committee Act of 1881, which preserved our representative system of Government, and led to the Franchise Act of 1884. I think also of the successive Franchise Acts fought for by Grantley Adams, which led to Adult Suffrage, and the universal right to vote. Of special historical significance was the debate leading to the Trade Union Act and related legislation which empowered the masses to freely associate and bargain for their economic betterment in the wake of the 1937 riots. Here was delivered the Official Statement of Governor Sir Grattan Bushe in 1946 whose “Bushe Experiment’ led directly to the Ministerial System of Government in 1954 and eventually to our present Cabinet System of Government as set out in the Independence Constitution. And finally, here was the location of the Independence Debate, led off by the Rt Excellent Errol Barrow in 1966. All these major and important political initiatives received official expression across the Yard, even as this West Wing of our Parliament Buildings remained a quiet recorder of the fact that at every stage of a country’s National Development there was always a space for the emergence of heroes both sung and unsung. 6 There ought now to be a permanent home for those heroes. Today Government is taking the great (and some of you will say “overdue”) step of establishing this country’s most significant tribute to the Parliamentary Stalwarts, National Heroes and other builders of Barbados. For, this West Wing of Parliament will, in a physical way, house the National Heroes Gallery and Museum of Parliament. In a special symbolic sense it will be our open window to the soul of our island and its outstanding sons and daughters. Through the artefacts which will find their permanent resting place in this building, the citizens and residents of Barbados will be better able to discover the road we have traveled in order to reach 40 years of Independence. We in Barbados have often been accused by critics of displaying some indifference to the men and women who gave their blood, tears, toil and sweat to protect and promote the interests of our people as a whole. Oftentimes persons can be heard lamenting the fact that phases of our history and the work of those outstanding “craftsmen” of our fate, the national Heroes, are not widely highlighted, except in books which are not easily accessible to our citizens. Today that deficiency is being rectified. With immediate effect this Museum and Heroes Gallery will begin to function, providing valuable information on the multifaceted lives of these men and women of the movements and political parties which they founded and led, their triumphs and setbacks, the challenge and tribulations which they faced and overcame. 7 Through the committed work of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, we have been able to reconstruct for you the vitally important phases of the lives of our super-patriots, beginning with the Right Excellent Bussa who died striving in 1816 to make Barbados free. The other National Heroes, Sarah Ann Gill, Samuel J. Prescod, Charles Duncan Oneal, Clement Osbourne Payne, Sir Grantley Adams, Sir Frank Walcott, Sir Hugh Springer, Errol Walton barrow and Sir Gary Sobers, are suitably and permanently memoralised as you will discover. Our intention is to place a variety of artifactual data in the Gallery here to enable our citizens to construct in their minds, the picture of sentient, socially conscious and uncompromising patriots, dedicated to the liberation of our people from the shackles of slavery, colonialism and racial discrimination which stalked the land and scarred this society for centuries. Not only will the West Wind contain personal items from the archives of each national Hero, but you can rest assured that you will see here information on the major phases and eras in Barbados’ journey to Independence. Under the theme of “Social Justice” are gathered data and memorabilia which help to interpret the institutions of slavery and the slave trade, along with the relevant data on the struggle for Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1807 and for Abolition of slavery itself, the latter Act coming in 1833. Obviously this collection of data and artifacts will highlight those civil explosions which punctuated the search for justice in an unjust society; thus the images of 1816 Slave Revolt, the 1876 Confederation Riots and 8 the 1937 Protest are highlighted in the Museum of Parliament. Happily, also, the modern campaign for Independence from 1937 onwards will feature prominently in this repository. The Museum will therefore provide a thorough lesson on the work of Clement Payne, Sir Grantley Adams, Sir Hugh Springer and Sir Frank Walcott in bringing the Barbados Workers Union from infancy to robust maturity. The path that Barbados took to arrive at Independence – that of internal self- government, involvement in the Federation and the campaign of the Right Excellent Errol W. Barrow for national independence, will be accorded its rightful place. I am also pleased to report that this section of the Parliament Buildings will be dedicated to permanent visual representation of highlights of our Constitutional heritage.