More National Heroes! A Recurring Talk

It has been a few years now that the National Heroes Day Committee had submitted to Cabinet four names of persons to be considered for national hero status.

The country had therefore been expecting to hear the names or name of person selected.

I had hoped that the delay was because of the realisation that the issue of national heroes has been an unfinished job.

I note that the PM has recently talked about sending the four names identified to the Governor General, so maybe there is some seriousness this time.

I have a view of what a national hero means to a country that is still fighting the legacies of colonialism. But that matter had never been discussed. Why does a country need a national hero and what does a national hero symbolise? Is it something we think we just have to do? Are most Vincentians clear in their minds about the purpose of a national hero?

This is not the first time I am raising these issues. Furthermore, I think we have done a horrible job with Chatoyer. We have spoken and written about the things he did for his country. I have described him as the first in the fight for national independence. But what did Chatoyer do that entitled him to become our First National Hero.? Again, I wrote about this, but I am not sure that most people share my views!

I have also suggested that before naming other national heroes we put in place a system of national awards.

I made this suggestion because when a call was made for names of new national heroes, it occurred to me that most people had different concepts of what a national hero is.

Names were mentioned of persons whom I feel deserved national awards without being pushed into the category of national heroes. There were names of teachers, nurses, who had performed exceptionally well; persons who have served their community well but cannot lay claim to being candidates for national heroes, at least as I see it.

Why are we avoiding national awards, is it that we want to hold on to the British imperial awards? Names were submitted of candidates for the National Hero award. The Relevant Committee looked at them and made its decision. But has there been any discussion of these candidates by the public? I am not aware that there has been. This is a step that must be taken.

I have looked at the names. Included among those selected was one whom I proposed. Room is provided for exciting and informative debates. The country as a whole will be better served. Of the four, there is one whom I will eliminate immediately. The other three could generate very fruitful discussions.

The one whom I will eliminate is Robert Milton Cato. Let me state up front that I do not expect national heroes to be saints. They are real people who will have their negative sides but when the negative side outweighs the positive then we have to call a stop.

During the tenure of RM Cato as Chief Minister and Prime Minister he was associated with the banning of books; the prohibition of persons entering this country; a Gazette published 25 April 1970 listed a number of persons who were considered undesirable immigrants, including Rosie Douglas who became his country’s Premier, Dr Walter Rodney of Guyana, Stokeley Carmichael as he was then called and Pat Emanuel of Grenada. Those listed here are only a few of a much larger list. Some of these persons had not even indicated any intention to visit our country.

Our Prime Minister, a student then at Mona, came to SVG, to deliver a lecture on Walter Rodney and found himself closely followed and monitored by Security forces.

Renwick Rose had police digging up his yard and searching his house. He was subsequently charged for possessing prohibited literature.
Calypsos were banned. De Man Age’s “This Society Needs a Spectacle” was banned from the air waves. He came back with “De Go Ban it” and they certainly did. Sheller’s “Big Jobs” was cut off the air. “Age” was eventually fired from his job as a qualified teacher.

The 1971 Public Service Act was introduced in an effort to muzzle public servants. Then there was the 1975 Teachers Strike and the treatment of Dr Cyrus at that time; a fire truck being sent at the airport to block his exit from the ramp to the runaway.

Organisations in the country formed a National Independence Committee in an effort to involve as many people as possible in presenting constitutional proposals to become part of the package that the government was taking to London. The Committee headed by respected Barrister Henry Williams was called “Nincompoops” by the then Premier.

Add to these the 1981 Public Order and Safety Bill, that brought thousands of Vincentians on the street in protest. There was more, the Emergency Powers Bill and the Representation of the People Act; the dismissal of John Cato. J L Eustace, Minister of Government was fired with no accountability to the public.

The Cato administration will go down as one of the most oppressive in the history of this country. Are you telling me that these qualify him to be a national hero.

Is it ‘Age’ who says, “this is a comedy country”!

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian