Sir John Compton remembered

The 12 days of mourning, the many tributes in speech, writing and song to the work and life of Sir John Melville Compton is only one side of the story. One expects that the death of a sitting Prime Minister will generate a great deal of emotion and draw such tributes.{{more}}

To me what symbolised and spoke to the love and to the way St. Lucians felt about John Compton was summed up in the fact that at 81 years of age, they were prepared to elect him back to office after he had bowed out in 1997. This speaks volumes and is testimony to the way St. Lucians felt about him and to the impact he undoubtedly had on their lives. Many a young person would have grown to adulthood with Sir John occupying a prominent place in their lives as head of government.

Sir John’s final years would constitute one of those ‘what ifs’. Had he not re-entered politics would he have been alive today? This is in a sense idle speculation. The fact is that he did. Was it a case of having politics in his blood as one is sometimes tempted to say or ask? One of his daughters said that his hard work was never for self gratification. Having been at the centre of St. Lucian politics for some 30 years and having been a leading figure in the transformation of the social and economic landscape, Sir John obviously felt that there was some unfinished business. But perhaps there are lessons to be learnt here by politicians. Politics, especially Caribbean politics, is very stressful business. One of the things that political leaders might put some more effort into is preparing the kind of environment that will allow leaders to emerge. A leader at 81 years must not feel that he has to make a return to try to safeguard what he had put in place.

Sir John’s return also says something about St.Lucian politics which is very colourful, to say the least. Characters like George Odlum added to this atmosphere. John Compton lost the election shortly after he led the country to independence in 1979. The St. Lucia Labour Party with George Odlum and Peter Josie soon fell out with Prime Minister Allan Louisy. Early elections were called in 1982 and the Compton led United Workers Party emerged once more to take on the mantle of government until 1996 when its leader bowed out and made way for his appointed successor Dr. Vaughn Lewis. An attempted alliance between Compton and Odlum later fell apart, and the way was prepared for the return of the Labour Party in 2001. Compton made his move again at a convention of the UWP in March 2005. This gave him the impetus to lead his old party to victory once again in December 2006. Those elections were a stunning defeat for Dr. Kenny Anthony who must have felt very humbled by his deposition by an 81 year old retiree.

John Compton was an adopted son of St. Lucia, a man who was a part of the St. Lucian landscape for over 60 years. He was born in Canouan in the Southern Grenadines, and moved to his adopted homeland when he was 13 years old. Perhaps this had something to do with his total devotion and commitment to regionalism, whether in the form of the sub-grouping of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States or the wider Caricom. Sir John served as Chief Minister from 1964-1967, as Premier from 1967-1979, as Prime Minister for a short period in 1979 and then from 1982-86/87. And then his return for a short period in December 2006! Prime Minister Owen

Arthur, current head of Caricom, acknowledged the service of Compton. He said in delivering his tribute that “John Compton belongs on echelons on the band of Caribbean heroes…who had transformed his country”. He would be “revered for the monumental service that he rendered not only to the people of St. Lucia but to the people of the Caribbean.”

Sir Dwight Venner who had been very close to Compton when he served in his administration was among those persons paying tribute. Sir Dwight pointed to the transformation of the landscape of St. Lucia by the many projects conceived and implemented by Compton. This was key to how many St. Lucians felt about their dead leader. Most of us in the Windward Islands have recognised St. Lucia’s forward march ahead of others in the sub-region of the Windward Islands and Eastern Caribbean states. It was the leading banana producer, and made tremendous strides in tourism, etching itself as one of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean. It was in this transformation of the St. Lucian landscape that Compton touched the lives of many St. Lucians.

On Tuesday, ordinary St. Lucian folks lined the streets and sang and looked at the funeral on close circuit television screens since security arrangements kept many from the area of the Roman Catholic Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church. Sir John was an Anglican but his funeral was held in that larger church to accommodate the many regional and international dignitaries that were expected.

A large number of persons from Canouan attended the funeral, reminding us of his Canouan birth and connection. His cousin and close friend and comrade Sir James Mitchell did the eulogy, and was certainly moved by the occasion.

Now St. Lucia must go on. His party must carry on without his astute guidance. They are largely untried and need more than ever to win the trust and confidence of the St. Lucian public. While Sir John was around, there was little concern because he had been tried and tested and was brought back because of that. The dynamics are bound to change, but life must move on and we must extend our best wishes to St. Lucia and hope that it does not resort to the ‘colourful’ politics of the past. A strong and stable St. Lucia is important for the continued development of the OECS and CARICOM.

John Compton will long be remembered, many pointing to his honesty and integrity, scarce commodities with Caribbean politicians. Even Opposition leader Dr. Kenny Anthony recognised his contribution and will support granting him the status of a national hero, if St. Lucia moves to such a system of honours.