Thanks!

On behalf of the Rose and Dopwell families, let me say thanks to all those who in one way or another demonstrated their solidarity with us as we engaged in the process of burying and paying tribute to my brother, Conley “Chivambo” Rose.

On a personal note, I was very pleased with the turnout at his funeral, especially of those I would call the “cultural salt” of our country, the essential ingredient which has kept the cultural pot bubbling all these years.
Despite all the challenges of the last half a century and more, the use of technology to promote foreign penetration, the economic hardships, the insufficient support for our indigenous culture, the “souljahs” I saw, paying homage to their fallen brother, have kept the flag flying. They were in the forefront of the anti-colonialist and pro-independence movement of the seventies, the black consciousness and nationalist campaigns which succeeded against all the odds in the recognition of Paramount Chief Chatoyer and the institution of National Heroes Day and many other positive developments, including the most recent promulgation of Spiritual Baptists Day.
These “souljahs”, formed part of a powerful philosophical phalanx which became embedded in Vincentian society and made our own contingent an essential element of the regional movement so essential to progressive ideas taking firm roots. Without them, the political upheaval of the year 2000 and the electoral victory of 2001 would not have been possible. Though there has never been sufficient recognition of their contribution, they have remained steadfast. All power to you, Sisters and Brothers.
Chivambo, for all his imperfections, like the rest of us, personified this continuing struggle. As so brilliantly expounded by one of his sons, Utamu, not surprisingly, a leading cultural artiste of his own under the name of Bongo Prime, he was one of the most talented of his generation, a tireless organiser, poet, trade unionist, political activist and ambitious thinker.
His contributions went beyond that. For instance, how many of our footballing community of today know that Chivambo was once in the forefront of the administration of football at the national level, before we ever dreamt of FIFA, CONCACAF and the like? Yes, he was General Secretary of the local football association when we had to fight up with the Windward Islands Championships annually. He was then not yet 21. He went on to make his mark in journalism rising to become active Editor of the oldest Vincentian newspaper, the Vincentian, and becoming a writer and poet.
He was actively involved in trade unionism starting from his days as a public servant, in the then Civil Service
Association. Later as part of the leadership of the National Progressive Workers Union, he took on the unenviable tasks of trying to institute trade union representation for workers in two then impregnable fortresses, the semi-feudal Barnard estate at Orange Hill and the more modern industrial Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies, then the Flour Mill.
Chivambo was also a devoted internationalist, as his membership in the SVG/Cuba Friendship Society testifies, and his pioneering role in obtaining university scholarships to study in the then Soviet Union demonstrates. That was a time when university scholarships were “scarce like good gold” but fear of
Russia and communism was a powerful deterrent. His works speak for themselves so there is no need for those who, for whatever reason of their own to attribute false claims to his name.
I must, as his older brother, pay tribute to his courage and tenacity. He followed me into membership of the Black Liberation Action Committee (BLAC) while still a teenager and then into its successors, YULIMO and the UPM. I was his political leader for much of his political activism and must therefore take any responsibility for any errors in that sphere of operation. I was honoured to be allowed to provide such leadership and to benefit from his trust and loyalty.
He remains among the army of the unsung nation- builders.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

Renwick Rose is a Social andnPolitical commentator.