Cuba and Trump (US) /Renwick Rose

My intention was to write about Cuba and Trump’s effort to crush its people but then as I began to write, news came to me about the transition of Renwick Kamara Rose to the Great Beyond. Although I knew that Renwick had been ailing for some time the news about his passing struck me deeply.

I will therefore pay tribute to him knowing that he had always been a defender of Cuba and the US’s continuing effort to crush a people who had stood up to that country’s hegemony. In fact, in the early years of Yulimo and the UPM he had been involved in securing scholarships from Cuba for Vincentians although he never sought one for himself. The moving tribute paid to him by the Cuban embassy is testimony to the regard with which he was held. In fact, he had been a recipient of one of Cuba’s highest awards, the Medal of Friendship. So, I am paying tribute to him in this first part of my article in an effort to salute him and his steadfast defence of Cuba and its people.

I first knew about Renwick when he was a teacher at Bishop’s College, and later his involvement in organisations and activities helping to lift peoples’ consciousness. He was behind the celebration of African Liberation Day; had been part of the Black Power Movement. We would remember the formation of BLACK LIBERATION ACTION COMMITTEE (BLAC). His effort was to build consciousness about being black but to support progressive causes, including the Women’s Liberation Movement.

Franklyn Murphy described him as “a faithful son of the soil” and indeed he was. He was grounded and totally committed to SVG. He was not tempted by any pathway to fortune. Many looked forward to his writings in JUSTICE and FREEDOM. I had some contact with him at the time of the formation of the Farmer’s Union and had supervised the election of its executive. I left SVG shortly after and on my return, he had been a central player in the Windward Islands Farmers Association (WINFA). In 1995 he had been part of a triumvirate writing columns for the NEWS newspaper. I was one of the three that included Bassy. Keith Joseph was also a regular columnist but concentrated on sports. The three of us parted ways with the NEWS and formed the SEARCHLIGHT. Until recently he continued to be a columnist and member of the Board. Renwick also acted at one time as Chairperson of the Barbados-based Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) of which I was a member as Coordinator of CARIPEDA. In the recently published book, co-authored with Cleve Scott and Garrey Dennie “SVG- A General History to the Year 2025” he was mentioned as one who “noted that twenty Years after political Independence from Britain the country was still confused and was trying to grapple with its history. He insisted then that ‘a determined effort must be made to put our history in perspective and for us to embrace it as a people’. We were pleased to present him with a copy even while he was ailing in bed”.

Theodore Thomas spoke of the influence he had on his life, describing him as “the little Giant” responsible for moulding the minds of many young persons. Many young persons read JUSTICE and FREEDOM and will testify to the impact his writings had on them. In 1979 they became part of the Upful group and strongly supported the United Peoples Movement (UPM) when it contested the 1979 general elections with Renwick being part of the triumvirate that led that party. Given the reception it received I always felt that if the group had continued to stick together it would have had a great impact on the next elections. But it faced serious challenges and, in the process, lost its impact.

Renwick was indeed a true son of the Vincentian soil and a devoted family man. He wanted no more than to see SVG move forward. Some of us might have disagreed with him on how it should be done but that was what he wanted. My condolences to his wife and family.

I have decided to leave my piece on Trump’s effort to crush Cuba to next week.

• Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian