Saint Lucia A publication of the Department of Information Services No. 49. Saturday, July 10, 2004 A MomentA Cry of for silence: Help: A nation observes the death of Sir George F.L. Charles “Take 2 ” Government Notebook - A fifteen minute news review of the week. A fresh news package daily Every Friday at 6.15 p.m. on NTN, Cablevision Channel 2. on all local radio stations 2 Saint Lucia Saturday, July 10, 2004 Sir George F.L. Charles and the Struggle for Self-determination and Nationhood: A Secure Historical Legacy By Anthony Darius he death of Sir George TFrederick Lawrence Charles, Unionist, Politician and above all a true Saint Lucian Patriot, provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the tremendous contribution he made to the social, economic and political development of our society. More importantly, his passing provides an occasion for the nation to ponder upon his historical legacy. George Charles’ historical legacy and contribution to national development can best be appreciated by examining his involvement in the labour movement, the anti-colonial/anti-imperialist struggles and the rise of party politics in Saint Lucia. The local labour movement in the 1930s, was an offshoot of a broader reformist movement, which swept through the Anglophone Caribbean in response to deplorable working conditions, depressed socio- economic circumstances and the absence of representative and responsive government. The reformist movement of the 1930s had two other important elements, namely, a democratic movement and an anti- colonial/anti-imperialist struggle. These elements served to reinforce each other Sir George F.L. Charles at the ceremony renaming Vigie Airport in his name and were situated within an atmosphere of a broad-based ideological populism. would in turn help reduce the collective cultivation of any plantation. Such action colonies, the Colonial Government In Saint Lucia, as was the case in bargaining power of the ex-slaves, as was deemed injurious to trade and enacted Sedition Acts and legislation. the other British West-Indian colonies, well as suppress the wage rate. commerce, dangerous to the tranquility It became apparent, therefore, that the the fundamental objective of the labour Furthermore, new laws and of the country and especially prejudicial legal framework which emerged in the movement was to dismantle the legal ordinances were enacted throughout the to the interest of all concerned parties. post-emancipation period to govern framework which governed the British West Indian colonies in an effort In Trinidad, the Habitual Idlers capital/labour relations was designed relationship between capital and labour to tie the ex-slaves to the plantation, Ordinance of 1918 was designed to specifically to coerce and make labour in the post-emancipation period. It is deny them opportunities of finding discourage indentured labourers whose subservient to the needs of capital. worth noting that the plantation alternative employment and forestall the terms had expired from leaving the Consequently, from the very outset, economy in the Anglophone Caribbean development of an independent plantation. The Strikes and Lockouts the labour movement in the British peasantry. Still, there was the enactment Ordinance, which was first enacted in was built on a nexus between cheap West-Indian colonies assumed an labour and capital. Consequently, with of legislation which was specifically 1920, was a temporary measure which unconstitutional and extra-legal the advent of full emancipation in 1838, designed to ensure that the ex-slaves prohibited strikes and provided for the plantocracy attempted to maintain could not combine as free men to obtain arbitration between employers and character. George Charles in his a labour regime which was at best semi- better wages. In Jamaica, a law of 1839 employees in the event of disputes. personal memoir, The History of the feudal or closely approximated to the made it illegal for free men to assemble When this ordinance expired, it was Labour Movement in Saint Lucia system of coerced labour which or strike for the purpose of fixing the replaced by the Industrial Court 1945-74 (1994) stated “In all their prevailed during slavery. To this end, the wages of labour and for regulating and Ordinance, which was designed to struggles, the Agricultural Workers had plantocracy was determined to have at controlling the mode of carrying on achieve the same ends, but on a more been bogged down by a minimum wage its disposal a surplus labour force which manufacture, trade or business or the permanent basis. In many of the instituted by a Government drawn from the privileged friends of a Colonial Governor based in Grenada, and who was committed to enhance the fortunes of his compatriots in the United States. An agricultural worker’s life was of no significance to the slave master and imperialist so that a demand for increased wages, whether singly or collectively, could be interpreted as an act of treason.” Arthur Lewis observed that legal obstacles were placed in the way of the development of trade unions in the British West Indies. According to him, trade unions did not have the right of peaceful picketing or protection against actions in tort, two rights conferred in Great Britain by an Act of 1906. More importantly, Lewis, in a view consistent with that expressed by George Charles noted that “the colonial administrations had not rid themselves of the notion that trade unionism is treasonable. Union leaders are in some places continuously shadowed by the police, and the mildest utterance may provoke a prosecution for sedition.” Body of Sir George F.L. Charles exposed in Parliament continued on page 4 Saturday, July 10, 2004 Saint Lucia 3 states of Caricom to bring the Caribbean the interruption of the democratic Single Market and Economy to fruition process in Haiti and to the consequential Joint Statement by by the target date of December 2005. departure of President Jean Bertrand They praised the recent progress that Aristide from office. Recalling that the had been made towards the members states of the Caribbean the Prime Minister of establishment of the Caribbean Court Community have always steadfastly of Justice and looked forward to its ascribed to the principles of democracy, inauguration later this year. democratic elections and the rule of law and their efforts in the past to bring Haiti St. Liucia and They also agreed to promote the into the democratic fold, they looked continued discussion and search for forward to the early restoration of the suitable new governance structures for democratic process in Haiti and the Caricom that would lead to the emergence there of a democratically the Prime Minister strengthening of the Caribbean elected government. Community to enable it to better fulfil its goal of the economic and social The Prime Ministers also discussed advancement of the peoples of the matters for deliberation at the of Jamaica forthcoming Twenty-fifth meeting of the region. Conference of Heads of Government In reviewing recent regional n the occasion of the official to education and the fight against the of the Caribbean Community in St developments, they once more expressed O visit to St. Lucia by the Prime trafficking of illegal drugs in the Georges, Grenada on July 4 – 7, 2004. Minister of Jamaica, the Most Caribbean. They agreed to strengthen their regret at the events that had led to Honourable P.J. Patterson from July mechanisms for further cooperation 1 – 2 2004, the Prime Minister of St between Jamaica and St. Lucia in the Lucia, Dr. The Hon. Kenny D. combating of the illicit drug trade. Anthony and the Prime Minister of They noted with satisfaction the Jamaica held discussions on private sector linkages that had matters of mutual interest between developed between St. Lucia and their two countries including Jamaica, particularly in the field of bilateral relations as well as recent tourism, and in view of the meeting that regional and international had taken place between Prime Minister developments. Patterson, representatives of the They hailed this first ever official visit Jamaican sector and members of the St. to St Lucia by a Prime Minister of Lucia Private Sector, called for the Jamaica and Prime Minister Patterson’s widening of these linkages and further historic address to the Joint Sitting of collaboration between the private sectors the St Lucia Parliament as a reaffirmation of the warm and fraternal of the two countries. relations that have traditionally existed The Prime Ministers pledged their between the peoples and governments support for the growth and development of Jamaica and St Lucia. They therefore of the regional integration process of the agreed to continue to work for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) further deepening of these relations and and in that regard agreed to work Prime Minister Patterson followed by Dr. Kenny Anthony inspecting in that regard discussed issues relating assiduously with the other member the Guards Radio CARICOM Launched esidents of St Lucia were As CARICOM Head responsible for of Jamaica, when he addressed the by the CARICOM Secretariat. At Ramong the first to listen to Science and Technology, Mr. Mitchell CARICOM Summit He informed his this meeting, chaired by the Hon. Elvin RADIO CARICOM, when it hit expressed the need to strengthen the colleagues that CARICOM was Nimrod, Minister of Foreign Affairs the airwaves on July 4, 2004. capacity of the Caribbean Renewable actively advocating Haiti’s case for and International Trade of Grenada, Joined by listeners in Barbados, Energy Development Project so that it substantial financial resources from the the Community Council also received Belize and Grenada, citizens of could focus on utilising the potentials of World Bank, the Inter - American an update from Jean-Yvon Simeon, these four islands were the first Solar and Wind Energy. He also called Development Bank, the European Minister of Foreign Affairs in the to benefit from this new service for the establishment of the Common Union, and that CARICOM was even provided to members of the Interim Administration in Haiti.