The year 2012 marked the advent of fifty years of the independence of the British West Indies; both Jamaica and Trinidad having gained places as independence from Britain on August 6, 1962 and August 31, 1962, respectively.
Much pulsating reggae and calypso rhythms will be heard; jerk chicken and curry roti will grace many a pot, with plentiful Appleton or Old Oak rums, with Red Stripe or Carib beers to wash all down. Caribbean people are known to party and much feting has accompanied those two dates.
Regrettably, aside from lofty calls to national service by our leadership, too many Caribbean people at home and abroad, view independence as a time for feting. How many of us – individually or collectively – will spend a moment to sit in sober deliberation to dissect and/or discuss the quality of our civic duty.
How many of us will ask: What am I doing to better my country or our region?
Citizenship does not simply mean having a passport, or where one was born. It is often the case that persons not born in the Caribbean care more about our affairs than those born there.
Citizenship is more than a flag of one of our many islands held aloft at Labour Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, the Miami Caribbean Carnival, Caribana in Canada or the Notting Hill Carnival… Citizenship therefore means, in a deeper sense, whether one is committed to civic duty. And what is civic duty? In the simplest form:
Civic duty is the unselfish devotion to improvement in all spheres of the community in which one resides. Such civic responsibilities are exhibited by commitment to the best interest of public service and building up the nation. While governments often call upon individuals or groups to fulfill civic duties as a responsibility to the betterment or improvement of the community, civic duty is best exemplified by the efforts one voluntarily assumes in nation building.
What are the keywords here? They are: commitment; volunteerism; best interest of public service; unselfish devotion; nation building. How many of us are committed to civic duty as defined above?
At this time, I reflect on the lives of three phenomenal Caribbean leaders; Right Honorable Norman Washington Manley, of Jamaica, Dr. Eric Williams, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago and the Right Honorable Sir Grantley Adams of Barbados, Prime Minister of the British West Indian Federation.
These men were civic leaders who gave their lives serving their communities, countries and our region. They were also regionalists, in that they believed in one Caribbean federated state. With wisdom and commitment they guided the Caribbean through the days of the British West Indian Federation (1957-1962) and gave their lives to service in the public interest.
Sadly, too few West Indians know of these great men and/or their contributions to civic leadership in our region.
Norman Manley ( 4 July 1893 – 2 September 1969 ) was bona fide military hero, having won a Military Medal for bravery while serving in the Royal Artillery during World War I; having interrupted his studies at Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Graduating with a first class honors degree in law, he gave much to the uplift of the ordinary Jamaican worker and farmer, in particular during the 1938 labor rebellion which swept the island. He was the leading force behind the founding of the social democratic Peoples National Party and the National Workers Union of Jamaica.
An athlete of note, he was an avid promoter of Jamaica’s athleticism via the Boys Championships athletic meet at which he often refereed. He was instrumental in the formation of Jamaica’s Olympic Committee in 1948, and directed the building of that island’s national stadium.
It is fair to say that the origins of Jamaica’s success in athletics at the world level owe some to his leadership and sense of civic duty. He was also an advocate for universal adult suffrage and was Chief Minister – later Premier – of Jamaica from 1955 through 1962 when he gave way to Alexander Bustamante.
Bustamante had argued against the federation. He told Jamaicans that the federation would have been a drag on their fortunes, and he played to inter-island prejudices, some of which are – regrettably – still with us today. He encouraged Jamaicans to vote against the federation of the British West Indies.
Norman Manley, a man of towering intellect, did not have the persuasive powers of Bustamante – especially among the rural folk. As a result the pro-federation Peoples National Party of Jamaica went down to defeat.
Dr. Eric Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 198) was a scholar of unparalleled presence and vision among the world leaders of the Post- World War II era. He had taken a PhD from Oxford; graduating with honors.
His book, “Capitalism and Slavery” is still considered a classic of Western political economy in its explanation of the economic underpinning that slavery gave to the birth of the British Industrial Revolution. His work was also a critique of the supposedly humanitarian impulse behind the abolition of slavery.
A distinguished Howard University Professor; he was a Caribbean Representative on the Anglo-American Caribbean Commission which crafted policy for the region during World War II. In that position he advocated for better living conditions and an expansion of democracy for all West Indians – not just those from his home island.
In 1943 Dr. Williams organized a conference at Howard University in Washington, DC on “The Economic Future of the Caribbean.” Speakers of the conference included advocates for the independence of Puerto Rico, leaders of the pro-democracy movements of the Caribbean, American scholars, diplomats and the top brass of the British and American sections of the newly formed Anglo-American Caribbean Commission.
In the 1950’s he returned to Trinidad to found the Peoples National Movement to agitate for self government and the independence of the region. Dr. Williams pursued a vigorous of political education of the public on the issue of national independence via his speeches and dialogue with his people at Port of Spain’s Woodford Square.
Many have since come to regard Dr. Williams’ efforts at that location to have turned it into a university for the cause of self determination; the so-called “University of Woodford Square.” When Jamaicans voted to break away from the federation and go into independence alone, Dr. Williams likewise took Trinidad & Tobago into independence.
The Prime Minister of the Federation was Prime Sir GrantleyAdams (28 April 1898 – 28 November 1971). A Barbadian, and an Oxford trained lawyer, he had distinguished himself in providing legal services to those arrested in the 1930s labour unrest on Barbados.
He was considered a statesman of much grace whose fervent belief in one federated British West Indies was not enough to keep the two major British West Indian territories – Jamaica and Trinidad-united in common purpose. He exhibited much civic duty in serving his island community, and promoting the cause of Caribbean integration.
Those early West Indian leaders led lives of thrift, grace and showed much statesmanship. The mansions they built resided in their quality of service; nor were there questions about their rapid acquisition of wealth. They were men who believed in the ethic of civic duty and social responsibility. They brought West Indians together across the often harsh divides of class, color and/or ethnicity and made our islands better places in which to live. They were Pan-Caribbean nationalists, who sought a great functional unity for our people.
They ran clean governments, and none were said to have profited at the expense of the public purse or accumulated wealth in ways unexplained and/or unrelated to their salaries. Sadly, their stellar lives of service to their communities, countries and the West Indies are seldom recalled these days.
They gave of themselves unselfishly. How many of our current crop of leaders can say that they follow in the spirit of those men?
Leaders set the tone for a people. The very culture of a nation, in governance, amity, efficiency, purpose, and dynamism is set by those who serve at the highest level, and at the base. And where our leaders are errant the citizenry take note and follow in their paths. There is a direct correlationship between errant leadership and escalating crime across the former British West Indies.
Born in 1961, my early days were still warmed by the embers of the federation and my parents often spoke in regretful tones of the missed opportunity. My father, Wendell M. Christian, having served with other West Indians in the British Army’s South Caribbean Forces during World War II knew the importance of teamwork among West Indians from different islands.
His officers and fellow soldiers came from Jamaica in the north, Barbados to the east and Guyana to the south. So schooled he believed in the idea of West Indian federation. One of his army colleagues was an assistant to the West Indian Federation’s Governor General, Lord Hailes.
Wendell Christian was in Trinidad, at Piarco Airport doing fire fighting for the proposed British West Indian Federation’s Fire Service, when the split-up and collapse of the federation took place. He had been among those who listened to Dr. Williams at Woodford Square, and recalled Williams’ famous remark when Jamaica pulled out of the federation: one from ten leaves zero (there were ten islands in the federation).
As one who served as President of the Caribbean Students Association at the University of the District of Columbia (1984-1986) I respect what we can achieve when we pursue civic duty and unity among our people.
However, today many of our people avoid joining organizations or stray from the path of excellence favored by our early leaders. Their leadership cultivated a distinctive and noble brand of excellence in governance for our nations which is now slipping.
It is now a sad reality we must confront, that too many young West Indians follow lives of crime and get deported from the United States. It is also true that some of our leaders have deviated from that legacy and not find themselves involved in corrupt activities which have brought them, and their office, into disrepute.
While we have to hold our leaders to high standard, the ordinary citizen cannot escape blame for the state of our Caribbean civilization, where rot sets in. Every Caribbean man, woman and child has a duty to cultivate themselves in the best way and so pursue high ideals.
To constantly innovate, be industrious and set an example in duty to ones community and nation by volunteerism, beneficial teamwork and serving others. Unless that is done, then we shall continue to get the leaders we deserve. It is observed that:
· Too many West Indians will spend $100 on dance but not pay $10 in annual dues to join a civic organization;
· Too many West Indians place allegiance to political party over commitment to what is best for the country;
· An epidemic of drug use and crime threatened to undermine the efforts to encourage investment in our region;
· Legendary local organizations such as the Social League, Parent Teacher Associations (PTA), Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and Cadets are not being supported by the wider society in the manner they should;
· Too few people cared to volunteer anymore – or if they showed up for community service they want to be paid in cash or kind.
Be it a PTA, youth group, student organization, or professional association, each of us must find a way to contribute to the general welfare of the community in which we live. Where money is tight, we can volunteer to attend a career day at a school; we can mentor a student or adopt a young man or woman as an apprentice at our shop or farm; or we can mentor them inside our professional practice.
It must become normative of our society that we commit ourselves to a civic organization and pay our dues.
Too many in our society have become calloused in their inattention to our national ills and look at the crumbling edifice of our communities and excuse themselves from any commitment to community or country, over and beyond any selfish interest.
Or if witnessing an act of vandalism against a school or other government or private property, some are heard to say: “That’s not my problem.” Such an attitude is not good enough; it just will not do. We must team up for the good of the community in which we live; we can all join hands to build the countries we claim to love.
In Prince Georges County, Maryland the Bar Association encourages such civic duty where interns are hired in the summer and lawyers give free clinics to the indigent or lecture students in classroom settings. Shall we do the same in our Caribbean? I know we can do it if we try.
Local doctors can offer to take the blood pressure of shoppers at the market on Saturday or visit schools and do volunteer clinics there. Local dentists can volunteer a day to visit a school and do teeth exams there.
A business person can mentor students in his neighborhood school, and a civil servant can be diligent in management of the people’s business. These are simple steps one can take; however they are building blocks to a better Caribbean. From the highest rungs of society, to the lowest, we can all play a useful part and so build the beloved community.
No one can do such nation building better than those who would be immediately benefited by the progress made.
In the immediate post-slavery era community self help – or Koudmen – was the glue which held our communities together. We need to re-ignite that civic spirit by joining civic organizations, paying our dues and sharing our time and resources in building up our community.
If we are to realize the true benefits of Caribbean independence, now is the time to move beyond mere criticism to substantive contribution. Nature abhors a vacuum. Where our fragile states implode because our people are inattentive to the needs of our various communities, then others more powerful will move in.
Absent such civic duty which feeds patriotic spirit, we shall lose our independence as a people. Now is the time that all who professes to love the Caribbean should join hands and commit to civic duty.
Gabriel J. Christian, Esq. is a Maryland trial lawyer; Judicial Commissioner of the Maryland Court of Appeals, and President Pro Tem of the Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was the President of the Caribbean Students Association at the University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC (1984-1986). In June 2012, he was appointed a member of the State of Maryland Caribbean Commission by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.
Yes people should read LeBlanc book. He said a politician should never take a gift. Who has been taking gifts? LeBlanc is our hero who left office with $18 in his bank account but millions in the heritage of honesty left behind. To Emile, and others like you, Put that in your Wu Jing Ping Lapset Diplomat Macau Pipe and smoke it.
Its regrettable that Bustamante and Eric ‘1 from 10 leaves 0 ‘Williams broke up the West Indies Federation. By now not only would we have gotten over the political teething problems but West Indies would be a great emerging middle level state. Each island had something meaningful to contribute to the West Indies nation state. Blame must be laid squarely on the shoulders of Bustamante and Eric Williams for destroying what was a lofty dream with tremendous potential.
Mr. Gabriel J. Christian it all about the fundamentals. I submit to you Mr. Christian that the fundamentals for nationhood were not present in the Caribbean at the time these Oxford men moved for independence. Given the sociopolitical tradition at that time, independence/nationhood was not sustainable. The culture must be able to sustain all the critical elements of nationhood. What we see today as the “breakdown” is directly attributable to the fact that the time for “independence” had not yet come. The very fact that the people themselves did not see the need to unite shows this to be the case. No doubt these men were world class and brilliant, they were intellectual giants who had good intentions for their people. But the time was not right. The history, culture, and economy were incongruous with sustain independence. Caribbean sociopolitical elements was not deep enough to allow for cross generational support of nationhood. Thus sociopolitical “breakdown” we see today.
It is interesting to note that Dominica is celebrating 37 years of independence, but the good Dr sees it fit to celebrate the big islands and igores his own homeland and the other small island. Tipical plantation owner mentality with selective memory. If those three are heroes……..what about Patrick Roland John. He stood alone when he broach the idea of independence for Dominica. Everyone but him thought it was impossible for all kind of negative reasons, but he had the courage of his conviction. For 37 years this achievement have been ignored by our own historian and the people who are enjoying the fruits of independence the most. His efforts cause his overthrow, framed and jailed.
Our cultural celebration is the vision of Leblance. He was booed, redecule and laugh at in the Winsarpark when he launched his cultural vision. He started the road to independence from the colonial plantation system with his social revolution. These are two political heroes who deserve, honour,
recognition and celebration. Those two men are real heroes who had their own people fighting them. Now we are treating their efforts as thankless task.
Someone once asked …….what is wrong with Dominica…..I do not have all the answers….but that we are our own worst enemy, our intelegencia make us believe that what comes from outside is better than who we are or what we have. Its a dam shame , a national disgrace’.
You did not get the real story. He used these three great leaders as an example of civic duty. He is asking us as a nation to walk in the footsteps of these ancestors. Instead of how politics has been used for leaders accumulating wealth for themselves, he is asking that they do like the former leaders of these islands. He is not ignoring us as a nation. He is encouraging us.
PEACE
Superb piece by Mr Christian.
We owe a lot to these three men and others who were steadfast is bringing us our independence from
Britain and who shaped politics in the region for many years.
Great Article from my former schoolmate. A great mentor.
Note during the reigns of Oliver L’ blanc and the Dame Eugenia civic duty was like an everyday norm. The Dame designated the fourth of November as Community day of Service and it was something communities look forward to. In my village on a community day of service we were doing some tree planting along the bay side and the Dame was visiting the community to see how the community was doing on that day she meet with us and was so happy she told us each of you all should name a tree in your name.
Today because of the level of corruption in governance and lack of accountability/transparency and our leaders are enriching themselves, have discourage such civic duty. In a nut shell the POOR Governance of our beloved country has diminished civic duty.
How can a public servant will go past four today, when he/she is by pass for a promotion. Lately see what is happening in the public service with regards to the people who are…
If you want to know corruption do a search on DAAS, Ask Mr Christian to defend DAAS corruption. The article and your post smells of biasness. You guys want to nominate heroes, what about Frank Baron read his bio. He has been personally engaged in leadership of all political and economic activities of Dominica, but how did Roseau people treat him. Go ask him
Emile you are a confused man. All through Dr Christian article he mentioned civic duty and it relates to Dominica if you can read between the lines. A patriot like Mr Christian has saluted LeBlanc in many articles and his friend Dr Andre wrote the book on LeBlanc and Christian wrote the preface. PJ did right to advocate independence. Last time I check Dr Christian is one of the last of the student leaders around who led that struggle with Brother Rosie. The truth is that PJ, despite his early good moves with National Development Bank, betrayed the nation. He was convicted for conspiracy with the KKK to overthrow his own country. The DDF under his regime shot down Domijcians in the street. That is a fact. He therefore lost the right to be called a role model and that is why Christian cannot and will not salute him. He was a sell out like your boy in Macau. Open your eyes and stop the confusion of our heritage trying to lead the people astray like Senior Clown.