The Grenada United Labour Party ( GULP ) is a political party in Grenada .
106-571: (Redirected from United Labor ) United Labour or United Labour Party may refer to: Grenada United Labour Party , founded in 1950 United Labour Front , a former political party in Trinidad and Tobago, the main opposition party between 1976 and 1986 United Labour Party (Armenia) United Labor Party (New York) , a short lived regional labor political party in New York City that ran in
212-426: A mixed economy dominated by the state sector with a view of replacing the market economy in force under Gairy's government and promoting the fastest possible transition to socialism . The PRG, nevertheless, showed itself incapable of setting up a real planned economy , due in particular to a lack of qualified executives, despite the presence of advisors from other Caribbean countries or "socialist" countries. Due to
318-610: A clear authoritarian drift. In the 1960s, a new generation of intellectuals from the middle classes emerged in Grenada, many of whom trained at British and American universities. Their return to the country coincided with the spread of a strong Black Power movement in the Caribbean, inspired by that of the United States. Lawyer and revolutionary Maurice Bishop was one of the leaders of a demonstration in 1970 in support of
424-454: A de facto monopoly on information. People's Law No. 81 prohibited private individuals from holding more than 4% of the shares in a newspaper, which was equivalent to causing the disappearance of the non-governmental press. A second law, promulgated in June 1981, banned the publishing of a newspaper for a full year, until the adoption of new legislation on press freedom . The government then defined
530-647: A few days, or even a few hours, the country had, at the end of 1982, around 120 counter-revolutionary prisoners, most of whom had been detained for two years or more, most of them without trial. Winston Whyte, the leader of the United People's Party, a party previously allied with the New Jewel Movement, was among those imprisoned. In March 1983, taking into account the releases in previous months, Amnesty International recorded 97 political prisoners in Grenada. More broadly, in terms of public freedoms,
636-463: A few months: Oliver Seraphin , Prime Minister of Dominica and Allan Louisy , Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. Also among the Grenadian government's main allies was Michael Manley , socialist prime minister of Jamaica; but from 1980, Manley's electoral defeat deprived Maurice Bishop of this important support. Séraphin and Louisy also quickly left power. More broadly, the expected shift to the left in
742-416: A general assembly of party activists was held in the presence of 250 to 300 people. The meeting took place in a hateful atmosphere: Bishop was accused of being a "petty-bourgeois opportunist" incapable of leading the country towards socialism, and of not wanting to establish joint leadership of the party. Bishop then took the stand and admitted his failings to democratic centralism, while expressing doubts about
848-481: A global vision to take power. Conversely, MAP was a more intellectually-structured party, but lacked any real presence outside the capital. In the 1972 elections, the Grenada National Party was defeated, and the radicals concluded that they needed to unite to build a new political force to oppose Gairy. On 11 March 1973, MAP, led by Maurice Bishop and Kenrick Radix, merged with JEWEL to give birth to
954-399: A police officer. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the revolutionaries took control of the country. The NJM revolution immediately received broad support from the population, the majority of whom were tired of Gairy's abuses. In the villages, women prepared food for the insurgents; many young people joined the men of the new revolutionary army to carry out patrols. The takeover of the radio by
1060-582: A political party in Poland Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title United Labour . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_Labour&oldid=1095110509 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Political party disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1166-645: A possible conflict of interests in Grenada between the USSR and Cuba have not been determined. In October 1982, Kenrick Radix, minister of industrial development and close ally of Bishop, and Caldwell Taylor, ambassador to the UN, were excluded from the party's central committee. Radix, convinced of being the victim of a plot intended to weaken the Prime Minister, then resigned from the NJM and announced his intention to leave
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#17327719095711272-477: A press conference, such as village assemblies and workers' assemblies, which would have the task of electing "parish assemblies", which would then elect the parliament and appoint the government subsequently. These statements by Bishop constituted the most precise information ever provided regarding the institutions envisaged by the new regime. The New Jewel Movement was particularly influenced, in its conceptions, by pro-Soviet Caribbean Marxist theorists: this envisaged
1378-597: A protest movement that took place at the same time in Trinidad and Tobago ; the Grenadian opponents took advantage of this context to denounce the corruption of Gairy's government. A few months later, a movement in support of a nurses' strike turned into a confrontation with the police. Bishop contributed to the defence of the accused and their acquittal. The main opposition was the Grenada National Party (GNP) of former Prime Minister Herbert Blaize , one of
1484-628: A seat when Michael Baptiste of the ruling New National Party defected to GULP in June 2000. Gloria Payne Banfield was elected as GULP leader in February 2003, becoming Grenada's first female party leader. In the general elections the party won 3.2% of the vote but again failed to win a seat. For the 2008 elections it formed an alliance with the People's Labour Movement named the Labour Platform. The alliance fielded 11 candidates for
1590-414: A system of collective ownership of newspapers, equivalent to a mode of self-management of the written press; the lack of precision regarding the timetable for a transition to collective ownership of newspapers, however, contributed to the fears at the time that this program was only a pretext to extend state control over the press. The PRG's policy on freedom of information was all the more poorly perceived as
1696-420: A view to defending itself against a possible attack. This interview profoundly affected American-Grenadian relations: Bishop and Coard considered these warnings as threats, even as a mark of contempt and racism on the part of the ambassador. On 13 April, Bishop delivered an offensive speech vigorously denouncing American interference. The next day, diplomatic relations were opened with Cuba with contacts between
1802-493: A whole, marked by economic dysfunctions. A certain number of PRG reforms, however, were having positive effects: the authorities set up a system of financial and equipment loans for farmers, and agricultural cooperatives to develop the activity. Bishop's government also worked to develop infrastructure, notably by building new roads. Concerning educational policy, the PRG worked to improve the level of education in Grenada, where 7% of
1908-721: A youth movement closely controlled by the NJM youth committee. Phyllis Coard, Bernard's wife, chaired the National Women's Organization: the women's branch of the party, founded before the takeover of power but largely developed after 1979. NJM activists created "Parish councils", led by the party branches: seven in number across the country, these councils were intended to be the main instruments of direct democracy in Grenada. Initially open only to party members and supporters, parish councils — which had no legal existence — were quickly opened to all to discuss local problems. The councils first of all benefit from real popular enthusiasm, and
2014-405: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Grenada United Labour Party The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It contested the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome. In the 1957 elections it lost four seats, whilst two other parties,
2120-513: The 1886 New York City mayoral election . United Labour Party (New Zealand) , an early left-wing political party, representing the more moderate wing of the labour movement United Labour Party (Northern Ireland) , a minor political party United Labour Party (Papua New Guinea) United Labor Party of South Australia See also [ edit ] Ahdut HaAvoda , a former political party in Israel Labour United ,
2226-625: The Grenada National Party and the People's Democratic Movement also won two seats, with the GNP's leader Herbert Blaize becoming leader of the island. The party regained power after winning eight of the ten seats in the 1961 elections . It lost the 1962 elections to the GNP, before returning to power in the 1967 elections . The party remained in power following the 1972 elections , but Gairy's government became increasingly authoritarian, with his secret police (the Mongoose Gang ) threatening
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#17327719095712332-460: The Mongoose Gang . The New Jewel Movement, strong from the success of its Popular Congress, then decided to organize a general strike on 18 November. On that day, party leaders, including Maurice Bishop, were arrested and beaten in their cells. In response to the Prime Minister, the Committee of 22, supported by the NJM, launched a general strike, which began on 1 January 1974. A few weeks before
2438-481: The New Jewel Movement (NJM), which presented itself as an alternative to GULP and the GNP. The NJM manifesto, socialist in spirit, called for the preservation of the country's independence from Europe and the United States, and favoured the role of grassroots communities over state authority. The text rejects the political party system, calling for a "pure democracy" which would involve "all the people, all
2544-478: The Third World , did not practice large-scale violence against its opponents — refraining from executing them or sentencing them to forced labor — the preventive detentions were frequent. Around 3,000 people, out of a population of less than 90,000 for the entire country, were arrested and questioned during the PRG's four years in power, 300 being detained: while a majority of those arrested were only detained for
2650-588: The Ujamaa villages of the African socialist regime of Tanzania . At the same time, the Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation (JEWEL) was formed and led by economist Unison Whiteman . JEWEL, which mainly campaigned for rural populations, drew large support in the country due to its participation in various social movements. The group, however, was not strictly a political party and did not have
2756-543: The 15 seats, but received only 478 votes and no seats. People%27s Revolutionary Government The People's Revolutionary Government ( PRG ) was proclaimed on 13 March 1979 after the Marxist–Leninist New Jewel Movement overthrew the government of Grenada in a revolution, making Grenada the only socialist state within the Commonwealth . In Grenada, the revolution is referred to as
2862-420: The 1979 revolution, the governments of Caribbean countries met to decide what to do with the new government, questioning the degree of left-wing orientation of the PRG. George Louison was sent as an emissary by Maurice Bishop to reassure the leaders of the Caribbean states and the Grenadian revolutionary government multiplied the assurances of its good faith to obtain the recognition of its neighbors; recognition of
2968-480: The Anglican Church was more reserved, accusing the New Jewel Movement of having used force to overthrow the government. When they took power, the leaders of the New Jewel Movement, who initiated the revolution in the name of democracy, had no precise idea as to the political model they wanted to propose to the country. The clearest bases for their actions are found in the 1973 manifesto of the NJM, revised in
3074-494: The Caribbean the establishment of "national-democratic" political regimes based on a class alliance between the bourgeoisie and the local proletariat . The "national democracy" phase would aim to prevent the development of capitalism in the Caribbean, and then move on to the "socialist construction" phase. This theory, designed by Third World intellectuals, aimed to bypass the phase of development of capitalism in their countries to move directly to that of socialism. While emphasizing
3180-673: The Coards had implemented the plot against him: one of his bodyguards, Errol George, began to spread the rumor that Bishop risked being assassinated. The central committee met on 12 October to examine the conspiracy rumors, and Bishop denied being behind them. He then wrote a message, intended to be read on the airwaves of the Radio Free Grenada station, denying the rumors. The central committee then decided to place Maurice Bishop under house arrest, officially for his own safety and to protect him from "counter-revolutionaries". The next day,
3286-467: The GNP. Eric Gairy's party retained the absolute majority in parliament, while Maurice Bishop became the leader of the opposition. In 1977, while their party was evolving towards Marxism-Leninism, Maurice Bishop and Unison Whiteman visited Cuba and came back greatly impressed. The NJM apparently maintained links with the Communist Party of Cuba during this time. Faced with the rise in power of
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3392-527: The Grenadian government. Reagan's initiative did not, however, meet with great success, with the majority of Caribbean Community governments wishing instead to improve their relations with the PRG after the tensions of 1981. The Grenadian government, for its part, came to fear an American invasion on its soil: in March 1983, maneuvers by the US Navy in Caribbean waters alarmed Maurice Bishop enough to make him leave
3498-534: The March 13th Revolution of 1979 or simply as “The Revolution”. The government suspended the constitution and ruled by decree until a factional conflict broke out, culminating in an invasion by the United States on 25 October 1983. Grenada, a 350 km Caribbean island state located in the Lesser Antilles , gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1974, after a long process. In 1967,
3604-596: The New Jewel Movement government established secret links with Cuba, which very quickly supplied the former with weapons. With the United States, relations went through several phases, only to deteriorate quickly. After his overthrow, Eric Gairy denounced a communist coup in his country and tried to obtain American aid: the State Department nevertheless tended to rely on the United Kingdom for analysis of
3710-565: The New Jewel Movement regime, which it was done mainly at the insistence of the Cubans and after ensuring the stability of Bishop's government: the joint communiqué of the USSR and the PRG was signed in Havana. Cooperation between the USSR and Grenada, however, remained limited, particularly on the economic level — with Cuba remaining the main partner of the Grenadian government. The New Jewel Movement, nevertheless, aimed to develop its relations with
3816-462: The New Jewel Movement, Eric Gairy at the beginning of 1979 considered taking action and having members of the party's leadership arrested. Political tension was further aggravated when the police discovered barrels of grease intended to transport weapons from the United States to Grenada for the benefit of the NJM. The NJM also formed a small, armed clandestine group placed under the leadership of former prison guard and police officer Hudson Austin, one of
3922-430: The New Jewel Movement, Maurice Bishop reaffirmed the "national-democratic" and "anti-imperialist" character of the Grenadian revolution, and his intention to establish a "workers' dictatorship": in this optically, he claimed to want to continue to govern by decree and to exclude the elements of the bourgeoisie and the petty bourgeoisie allied to his regime from power and from the public space, in order to lead Grenada towards
4028-439: The New Jewel Movement, moreover, experienced divisions, with Bernard Coard's faction opposing that of Maurice Bishop. The revolution led by Bishop appeared to be "moderate procastrist." The line defended by Bernard Coard was situated in a more radical communist logic, even Stalinist, on a certain number of points and recommended a more strictly Leninist organization of the party, which continued after its seizure of power to be led in
4134-520: The PRG denouncing it as a party of "big shots." When its leader Herbert Blaize tried to organize a meeting, he was mistreated by supporters of the NJM, while the revolutionary army refrained from intervening. Instead of parliamentary democracy, the Popular Revolutionary Government aimed to rely on a system of "popular power" — or "participatory democracy" — that is, on a set of local assemblies that Maurice Bishop defined, in
4240-487: The PRG saw its role in Marxist terms, from the angle of a "dictatorship of the proletariat", which would include the right to exercise "limited repression" against "bourgeois" opposition to the revolution. Under Gairy's regime, the opposition did not have access to state media, a situation which did not change under the PRG. As the only radio station on the island (Radio Grenada, renamed after the revolution Radio Free Grenada)
4346-504: The PRG, sent their ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean, Franck Ortiz, to Grenada: the first interview went well; the American ambassador, while announcing aid projects to Grenada, encouraged NJM leaders to organize elections. During his second trip to Grenada, Ortiz found Bishop and his government particularly worried about a possible coup mounted by Gairy from his exile. The ambassador assured Maurice Bishop and Bernard Coard that
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4452-637: The People's Revolutionary Government would lead to the need for Grenada's return to a constitutional standard as the States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). During the first months of its existence, the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada seemed to announce a "left turn" in the Caribbean. In July 1979, a mini-summit was held in Grenada which brought together, alongside Maurice Bishop, two other Labor heads of government who came to power for
4558-616: The Soviet government, in particular to act as a relay between the USSR and the Caribbean left. In July 1982, a cooperation agreement was signed between the NJM and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, providing for an exchange of experiences and training between cadres of the two parties. Similar cooperation agreements were signed with the Cuban, Bulgarian and East German communist parties. Various Eastern Bloc countries sent aid workers. In
4664-478: The USSR also provided for the training of Grenadian soldiers on Soviet soil. Armament deliveries from various communist countries were largely planned for 1986, and only part of the planned Soviet aid arrived in 1983 at the time of the fall of the regime. Relations with the United States continued to be very tense — Maurice Bishop's support for the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan finally deteriorated them at
4770-468: The United States aimed to give the American establishment and public the image of a responsible head of government, to help revive American tourism in Grenada, but also to establish links between the Government Grenada's popular revolutionary and the black American community. Ronald Reagan, however, did not respond to the request for a meeting sent to him by Maurice Bishop. The latter's visit to
4876-542: The United States also seemed to have contributed to annoy the most radical faction of the New Jewel Movement, which considered diplomatic overtures towards Washington. Within the People's Revolutionary Government and the New Jewel Movement, the power struggle between Maurice Bishop and Bernard Coard resulted over the years in the ousting of those close to the Prime Minister. The political styles of Bishop and Coard, very contrasting, — Bishop who, unlike Coard, enjoyed real popularity in public opinion, mainly sought consensus within
4982-415: The United States had no intention of allowing Gairy to raise an army and invade Grenada from their territory; but the diplomat made several blunders, firstly by warning Bishop and Coard of the risks of a drop in tourism in their country in the event of political unrest, then by giving them a press release indicating that the United States would take a dim view a military alliance of Grenada with Cuba, even with
5088-403: The administration. The country remained a Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II still recognized as Grenada's official head of state. Sir Paul Scoon, the governor-general of the island, was also retained in his honorary role, with the new regime wishing to protect the former colonial metropolis. The Catholic Church, which was very present in Grenada, immediately recognized the new power, while
5194-409: The affluence required them to be subdivided into "Zonal councils". Board meetings were frequently divided into workshops to discuss specific topics. In 1982, local councils lost their importance in favor of Village Coordinating Bureaus (VCBs) responsible for aligning their work with government bodies, local militia and unions. Despite the development of local assemblies, their members were excluded from
5300-451: The army of Grenada to storm the barracks where approximately 200 men of the party resided to take over the radio station and take control of the country. In the early hours of the morning of 13 March, NJM leaders voted to decide whether or not to carry out the coup. With for and against tied (Hudson Austin and Bernard Coard having voted for, and Maurice Bishop and another executive against), an additional executive, George Louison, took part in
5406-450: The attack of June 1980 triggered an "offensive" by the government against its "enemies", these events being attributed to the presence on the island of counter-revolutionary groups. Following the bombing, a wave of arrests took place; an anti-terrorism decree stipulates that any suspect in an attack will be tried by a court sitting without a jury and that terrorist activities will be punished by death. Four people were arrested and charged for
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#17327719095715512-495: The attack: during their trial, the judge discovered that the confessions of two of the accused were extracted under torture, and declared their statements inadmissible. The trial was adjourned accordingly: the suspects remained imprisoned and, in December 1983, after the fall of the PRG, were the subject of an amnesty by the governor general. While the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada, unlike other "socialist" regimes in
5618-488: The beginning of 1980 — and was, particularly after the election of Ronald Reagan as president, marked by a series of aggressive declarations from both sides. The construction of the new airport with the help of Cuba particularly worried the American government, which feared it was to be used for military maneuvers. In April 1982, Ronald Reagan went to Jamaica and Barbados : he met various Caribbean heads of government, whose support he tried on this occasion to secure against
5724-422: The communist regimes, mainly through Cuba: the regime of Fidel Castro played intermediary to help Grenada, whose means of communication with foreign countries were limited to conclude agreements with the USSR, Vietnam and Czechoslovakia. The USSR, which did not consider the Caribbean as a priority area of action, was cautious regarding the Grenadian revolution and took six months to establish diplomatic relations with
5830-495: The consequences of Hurricane Allen and the fall in export prices. After the revolution, the PRG extended state control over the economy, following recipes inspired by those of communist regimes : trade, infrastructure and non-agricultural businesses were largely nationalized; although agriculture, predominant in the Grenadian economy, remained essentially in the private sector, government representatives were appointed to supervise agricultural exports. The government aimed to develop
5936-506: The country received the status of an associated state , thus acquiring very high autonomy in the management of its internal affairs. Eric Gairy , a former union leader and leader of the Grenada United Labor Party (GULP), became prime minister and led the Grenadian government during the political process that later resulted in the country's complete independence. Even before then, however, Gairy's government experienced
6042-510: The country's economy, risked being a complete loss if North American tourists no longer visited. Maurice Bishop proposed to the NJM central committee a moratorium on anti-American statements and strives to restore good relations with the United States. In June 1983, he responded to an invitation from Mervyn M. Dymally, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus , and went to Washington for a diplomatic visit. Bishop's trip to
6148-486: The country's independence, the tensions remained high and the country continued to experience violence. On 21 January, Bishop's father was murdered; several NJM supporters were also killed. The country's economy was paralyzed. Gairy's government received financial assistance from the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana to pay civil servants and continue to operate the state until the day of independence. On 7 February 1974, Grenada gained independence as planned, while
6254-407: The decision and voted for the insurrection, which instigated the launch of the revolution. The operation was carried out by 46 NJM militants, often very young, with only 21 guns among them. The barracks were taken over at four in the morning and the buildings attacked with incendiary bombs . The troop was overpowered without difficulty, the soldiers being taken completely by surprise. The radio station
6360-420: The decision-making process and, although they could make suggestions, they were unable to challenge government policies, which they were required to approve. "Popular power", therefore, found itself disarmed in the face of the central committee of the New Jewel Movement, which held the real decision-making power even though its members had no other democratic legitimacy than their election by acclamation in 1973. In
6466-413: The deterioration of relations between the government and the Grenadian clergy. The Popular Revolutionary Government had come to consider the Grenadian churches (Catholic, Protestant and Anglican) as direct adversaries: a report from the Grenadian authorities described the clergy as the most dangerous of potential counter-revolutionary centers and recommended continuous surveillance of the churches, as well as
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#17327719095716572-412: The development of relations between the PRG and the liberation theology movement . In the health sector, Bishop's government strived to improve the services available: in this area it benefits in particular from aid from Cuba, which provided a dozen specialist doctors to Grenada, thus doubling the number of specialists in the country. Maternity leave and public health centres were also introduced. After
6678-448: The early 1980s, a series of secret agreements were signed between the USSR and Grenada, providing Soviet aid in equipment and weapons worth 20 million rubles. After a visit by Bernard Coard to Prague, Czechoslovakia supplied arms to Grenada in exchange for an agreement providing for the delivery, from 1984, of 80 tonnes of nutmeg per year. North Korea undertook to deliver weapons, ammunition and 6,000 uniforms to Grenada. The agreements with
6784-407: The evolution of the NJM. The party leadership initially refused the request of its high school branch, which wanted the official adoption of Marxism-Leninism. It then evolved significantly towards socialism and Marxism. The NJM, however, had not yet adopted a primarily anti-capitalist discourse, with its main concern being fighting the government of Eric Gairy. Despite the prevailing corruption, Gairy
6890-551: The excellent personal relations between Fidel Castro and Maurice Bishop. The head of the NJM expressed great admiration for the Cuban leader, who in return showed him almost paternal affection. Cuba supplied weapons to the new Grenadian regime and sent advisors to form the People's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. In June 1979, a cooperation agreement between the two countries was concluded, providing for assistance from Cuba to developments in Grenada's health sector and infrastructure. A new agreement, this time secret, on military cooperation,
6996-435: The feasibility of joint leadership. Erroll George was summoned to appear and reiterate his accusations regarding the plot against Bishop; the latter remained silent which was interpreted as an admission of guilt in disseminating the coup d'état thesis. The central committee decided to keep the Prime Minister in detention until light is shed on the origin of the rumor. Jacqueline Creft, Minister of Education and Bishop's companion,
7102-561: The final crisis, more than any other objective political factor. One thesis is that the Soviets, during the coup, "remotely guided" the radical faction of Bernard Coard deemed closer to their interests, but this element has not however been proven ; the Coard tendency seemed to have developed more links with the USSR while the Bishop tendency was closer to Cuba: the reality, or seriousness of
7208-434: The first tension between the government and the bourgeoisie of Grenada, the majority of which had applauded the overthrow of Gairy. Bishop pledged to return "as soon as possible" to constitutional rule and to appoint a constituent assembly charged with drafting a new constitution which will be approved by referendum. A commission responsible for forming new electoral lists was formed. However, People's Law No. 20 of 1979, which
7314-495: The government of Maurice Bishop also received, in 1980, the support of Daniel Ortega , Sandinista president of Nicaragua, who announced his solidarity with the revolution in Grenada. In addition to links with Latin American left-wing governments, Maurice Bishop told the central committee of the New Jewel Movement that he aimed to maintain good relations with all countries of the world, with the exception of "fascist dictatorships". Nevertheless, cooperative relations soon developed with
7420-432: The government within a year. Coard, second in the NJM hierarchy, also announced his resignation from the central committee, expressing his dissatisfaction with the inability of the party leadership to adopt a truly Leninist line. Subsequently, the animosity of certain executives towards the Prime Minister increased when they learned that during an interview with George Chambers, head of government of Trinidad and Tobago, Bishop
7526-457: The increased emphasis on planning, prices were generally out of sync with supply and demand . The deterioration of the economic environment made market mechanisms less effective, while planning failed to achieve the objectives set and Grenada is, more broadly, afflicted with all the ills specific to developing countries (lack of natural resources, qualified personnel, technologies and absence of manufacturing industry). The period 1979–1983 was, as
7632-476: The insurgents played an essential role among the population, to the point that Maurice Bishop subsequently spoke of a "revolution by radio". Around sixty executives of the old regime were incarcerated. The army and the Mongoose gang were declared dissolved. Benefiting at the time of the coup from massive support from the population, Bishop was able to proclaim a People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), of which he
7738-403: The international political climate around his regime. On 22 March 1979, the United States recognized the new regime, after concluding that a return to power for Gairy was not possible; the American administration nevertheless emphasized that it supported the request of the Caribbean states for a return to political normality. On 23 March, the United States, wishing to establish good relations with
7844-406: The island . Although support groups were set up in most villages, penetration into the countryside was more difficult than in urban areas. The influence of GULP and the main union, Grenada Manual & Mental Workers Union (GMMWU), remained strong among peasants and agricultural workers. The NJM succeeded in broadening its activist base, yet it still lacked ideological coherence. Things changed with
7950-475: The leaders of the New Jewel Movement remained in prison. The strike lasted until the end of March. After their release, the leaders of the NJM had to acknowledge the failure of their action and decided to carry out more methodical militant work to gain power. In the following years, the New Jewel Movement worked to establish itself within the population. Its weekly, the New Jewel , became the most widely read on
8056-469: The leadership of Hudson Austin, the latter being promoted to the rank of general. A popular militia was created to support the army in the event of an attack on the island. Thanks to help from Cuba, the People's Revolutionary Army quickly saw its numbers increase from around fifty men to around 2,000, a figure greater than that of all the other armed forces combined in the Antilles region. The leadership of
8162-625: The light of Leninist contributions. Maurice Bishop declared the end, in Grenada, of the Westminster system inherited from the United Kingdom, as well as of parliamentary democracy. Fifteen days after taking power, the PRG announced, in the "Declaration of the Grenadian Revolution", the "suspension" of the constitution and the dissolution of Parliament, thus granting itself executive and legislative powers. The elections announced by Maurice Bishop were postponed. These decisions caused
8268-414: The manner of an underground movement. Bernard Coard's good mastery of Marxist-Leninist theoretical concepts often allowed him, thanks to the deference of Bishop and his entourage for Leninist analyses, to dominate internal debates within the party leadership. The Bishop and Coard factions, however, had no major disagreement over the pace of the transition to socialism. In 1982, in a speech to the executives of
8374-526: The more radical groups that formed during the Black Power movement, which at the time adopted a Marxist-Leninist line and joined the international communist movement. In 1972, Maurice Bishop participated in the founding of the Movement for Assemblies of the People (MAP), formed by intellectuals from the capital, and advocated the replacement of the parliamentary system with local assemblies, inspired by
8480-571: The only party officials with military training. The leaders of the NJM, informed of the Prime Minister's plans against them, managed to escape arrest and lived in hiding for several days. The NJM took advantage of a trip to New York by Eric Gairy — who was going to the UN to plead in favor of an institution responsible for studying extraterrestrial phenomena — to organize a coup. On 12 March, shortly before midnight, Maurice Bishop, Bernard Coard, Unison Whiteman and other party officials gathered their activists to outline an action plan consisting of deploying
8586-437: The opposition. Following the 1976 elections , which were branded fraudulent by international observers, Gairy was overthrown in a coup in 1979. After democracy was restored, GULP won only a single seat in the 1984 elections and has since remained in opposition. It formed an alliance with United Labour for the 1999 elections , in which it lost parliamentary representation for the first time since 1951. However, it regained
8692-497: The owners of private newspapers provided maximum publicity to the repressive measures to which they were subject. In contrast, the collective ownership program of the media has little impact on the population. On the economic level, the Revolutionary Government operated in a very unfavorable context: Grenada, whose economy relies largely on tourism (the island mainly produces nutmeg and bananas), suffers from both
8798-408: The party and relied on his popularity and his personal charisma, while Coard acted in the manner of an "apparatchik" attached to the notion of democratic centralism — made the Prime Minister vulnerable to the maneuvers of his No. 2. The personal ambition of Bernard Coard, who considered himself more intelligent and more qualified than Maurice Bishop, seemed to have played a driving role in triggering
8904-479: The party with a "solid Marxist-Leninist base". Coard's supporters proposed a motion establishing joint leadership of the party, with Maurice Bishop to share power with Bernard Coard: the decision was put to a vote — representing the first internal vote in the history of the NJM — and adopted by nine votes to one, with George Louison voting against and Maurice Bishop, Foreign Minister Unison Whiteman and trade union leader Fitzroy Bain abstaining. Tension remained extreme in
9010-560: The popular character of power, the PRG followed the Leninist strategy of controlling the population by a militant elite: from the first months following the seizure of power, the government of the New Jewel Movement claimed a monopoly on power by placing reliable executives and activists in all strategic positions. Mass organizations under the authority of the party were formed, such as the National Youth Organization,
9116-480: The population is illiterate: a Center for Popular Education (CPE) was created to coordinate government education initiatives, including literacy campaigns. Efforts are being made to improve school results and programs. Learning Grenadian Creole is permitted at school. The PRG's tendency to marginalize religious education and, more broadly, the role of the church - particularly the Catholic — in education, contributed to
9222-444: The population, the initial enthusiasm gradually gave way to hostility, as disagreements with the policies of the People's Revolutionary Government mounted. The negative consequences for the island's economy (notably the drop in the number of tourists) caused by the deterioration of relations with the United States was one of the main causes of discontent. The disbanded army was replaced by the new People's Revolutionary Army (PRA), under
9328-474: The protest against Gairy. On 4 November, the NJM brought together 8,000 people during a demonstration called the Popular Congress. A resolution was published which declared Gairy guilty of numerous crimes, including police brutality and embezzlement of public funds. The Prime Minister reacted strongly. NJM supporters were soon threatened, both by the police and by a group of Gairy's henchmen, known as
9434-448: The radicalization of security measures. In November 1979, a plot against the government mounted by a former police officer, Wilton de Ravenière, was discovered; in June 1980, during a public meeting, a bomb exploded under the official platform on which Maurice Bishop and other personalities were located. Although the speakers' lives were saved by the concrete slab beneath their feet, three young girls were killed. The plot of November 1979 and
9540-570: The regimes of Fidel Castro and Maurice Bishop now coming to light. The United States saw its fears confirmed by this rapprochement, while the Grenadian government saw the American attitude as a manifestation of imperialism. Relations between the two countries continued to be strained throughout the rest of 1979 until the end of Jimmy Carter 's term in the White House, notably when several American citizens were briefly arrested in Grenada. Ties between Cuba and Grenada grew rapidly, facilitated by
9646-521: The region did not occur. Right-wing parties won the elections in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda, where parties close to the New Jewel Movement are eliminated. Diplomatic relations with Trinidad and Tobago was cold, and those with Guyana was deteriorating. The Grenadian government, therefore, found itself politically isolated in the region. As soon as it came to power,
9752-728: The return of the academic Bernard Coard , Bishop's childhood friend, to Grenada. While studying in England, Coard developed links with the British Communist Party ; teaching in Trinidad, he was also very close to the Jamaican communists. Even before his final return, Coard organized introductory courses in Marxism during his stay in the country. Installed again in Grenada in September 1976, Coard played an important role in
9858-510: The situation. The PRG quickly sent a request to the United States for economic and military aid, which remained unanswered; the new regime wished above all to protect itself against an attempt at a comeback by Gairy and Bishop announced that he will request arms from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Venezuela: the Grenadian Prime Minister tried in particular, before to publicize his contacts with Cuba, to assess
9964-430: The stage of "socialist orientation". The regime's repressive tendencies increased over the months. People's Law No. 8, promulgated shortly after the seizure of power, allowed the preventive internment of any person "suspected of presenting a threat to public security". In April 1979, Grenada had 80 political prisoners, the majority of them former collaborators of Gairy. In the months that followed, two events contributed to
10070-565: The summit of the Non-Aligned Movement which he attended in India, to rush back to the country to put the armed forces on alert. After this episode, the Grenadian Prime Minister was forced to recognize the untenable long-term nature of poor relations with the United States, particularly due to Grenada's dependence on tourism from the United States and Canada; the construction of the new airport, still in progress and intended to revive
10176-433: The supporters of Maurice Bishop, announced his resignation, but other information presented him as still being in power. Fidel Castro, without interfering in Grenadian affairs, made his concerns known. The USSR, for its part, remained in suspense, its ambassador on the spot apparently content to ask which, Bishop or Coard, is "the more Marxist". Supporters of Maurice Bishop in the NJM apparatus mobilized: Kenrick Radix organized
10282-423: The time". In the months following the formation of the NJM, political tension increased on the island. In May 1973, the United Kingdom announced the total independence of Grenada would occur in February 1974. The opposition then mobilized, fearing that Eric Gairy would impose a dictatorship on the country. Political organizations, including the NJM, came together with churches to form the Committee of 22 to organize
10388-572: The weeks that followed: Bishop, who considered joint leadership untenable, feared being assassinated by the faction led by Coard and his wife Phyllis. Maurice Bishop, accompanied by Unison Whiteman and George Louison, then traveled to Czechoslovakia and Hungary to obtain more economic aid from the Eastern Bloc. After a detour to Cuba on his return trip, he arrived in Grenada on October 8, and discovered that he could no longer enter his official residence. The Grenadian Prime Minister then believed that
10494-578: Was also locked up with him. On 14 October, Selwyn Strachan, Minister of Mobilization, went to the offices of the Free West Indian newspaper and announced that the Prime Minister was dismissed and that Bernard Coard now led the country. The news spread immediately and the entire population soon became aware of the crisis. The confusion was then extreme in Grenada: Bernard Coard, in an attempt to repair Strachan's blunder and calm
10600-515: Was considered by his supporters as the symbol of the successful black man and still retained popularity among Grenadian opinion. During the 1976 legislative elections, the New Jewel Movement formed a coalition, the Popular Alliance, with the Grenada National Party of former Prime Minister Herbert Blaize. During the election, the NJM, which managed to obtain a leading place in the coalition, obtained three seats, compared with two for its ally,
10706-400: Was said to have been ready to organize elections; Chambers would also have, on this occasion, encouraged him to release political prisoners. In September 1983, an extraordinary session of the NJM governing bodies was convened at the request of Home Secretary Liam James. Several young executives strongly attacked Maurice Bishop, whom they accuse, among other things, of being incapable of providing
10812-567: Was signed in 1981. Cuba helped Grenada in particular to build a new airport intended to develop tourism on the island. Several hundred Cuban aid workers, most of them who came to help with the construction of the airport, settled on the island; a large number of them were also reservists of the Cuban Armed Forces and had military training. Cuba then installed a contingent of active military personnel in Grenada as well as agents of its security services. In addition to its alliance with Cuba,
10918-411: Was state-owned, its control by the PRG amounted to a status quo. The situation was different concerning the written press, owned by private capital: from the month of September 1979, Bishop accused various newspapers, including the conservative publication Torchlight, of engaging in "acts of destabilization". The government, therefore, began to destroy the opposition press, giving the New Jewel Movement
11024-406: Was supposed to make it possible to establish the lists, was never promulgated. Popular after its takeover, the New Jewel Movement could probably have secured an electoral victory, but the PRG refrained from organizing the promised elections, subsequently refusing to organize a vote. The Grenada National Party, the NJM's coalition partner, was not banned but was prevented from functioning normally, with
11130-444: Was taken over without firing a shot and Maurice Bishop was able to launch his appeal to the population, announcing the seizure of power by the revolutionary army. The executives of Eric Gairy's regime were, for the most part, easily captured; only Gairy's right-hand man, Derek Knight, managed to flee the country aboard a canoe. The insurrection resulted in only two deaths – a senior officer shot dead while drawing his weapon, as well as
11236-539: Was the Prime Minister. The new government was dominated by the New Jewel Movement, but included members of the country's business bourgeoisie, including those close to the Grenada National Party. Bernard Coard became the finance minister; he was subsequently appointed deputy prime minister. Executives of the Grenada United Labor Party were not subject to any particular persecution, with only a minority of them being removed from their responsibilities in
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