No More “Brown Girl” in the Ring

The teaching fraternity, the local educational establishment, the powerful SVG Union of Teachers and the local trade union movement, and the ubiquitous Girls’ High School, ex-students and alumni all are among the many mourners who paid tribute to the life and work of the late teacher, trade unionist and educator, Sis. Joye Browne who was buried on Wednesday of this week.

The tributes were more than well deserved for Sister Joye well and truly made her mark in education, trade union organisation and representation and as a spokesperson and advocate of women’s rights in all this.

Her contributions will be long remembered and appreciated. No doubt her colleagues in the GHS alumni will let the world know of the accomplishments and contributions of this humble but devoted Vincentian woman. But not even all the deserved accolades tell the full story of this female “gentle giant”. She was not just satisfied with her formal contributions to the educational sector.

Incidentally, I heard our Prime Minister this week exhorting students to view language studies as an important career, not only for personal reasons, but also as an absolute necessity for communication in today’s world. Joye Browne was a pioneer in this regard. She did not, however, limit her contributions to the educational and professional spheres. Sis Joye also had a strong social consciousness and commitment which led her to broaden her contributions to the social and political development of our country.

When many graduate teachers were reluctant to “lower their status” by becoming members of the Teachers Union, on par with lowly primary school teachers, Sis. Joye had no such qualms. She became a trusted supporter and adviser to her brother, Mike, when he assumed the presidency of the Teachers Union in 1975. In the bitter struggle for recognition of the SVUT amid the persecution of the then Milton Cato regime, Joye took her “licks” too, but stayed the course to be a source of inspiration and reason in a union at a time of heated and bitter struggle. She not only helped to keep the
Union on keel but also gave valuable support to Mike, the late Yvonne Francis-Gibson who succeeded him, as well as providing wise leadership, first as General Secretary of the Union and later its President.

Trade union and industrial relations matters were not her only concerns. Sis. Joye was also an advocate of women’s rights and made her own contributions towards the development of the National Council of Women, and the annual activities to commemorate International Women’s Day. She has left giant-sized boots to be filled.

A family Affair

It is not by chance that Sis. Joye put down such a marker in social life in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

When she and her brother Mike undertook the task of securing proper representation and legal representation of the Teachers Union, they were in fact following in the footsteps of their father, Audley, also an educator but who led the struggle for trade union recognition for teachers some two decades earlier.

Mike, as I have mentioned, became almost a legendary figure both in the struggle of the Teachers Union, and also in the development of the trade union movement locally. On a personal level, he was like a “godsend” to me when he returned home from his studies in Canada in 1973. Many graduates in the Caribbean returned home from university studies with somewhat of an air. Mike sought out the young progressive organisations, including in my case, BLAC, and was of invaluable help in organizing, (even before he joined), in writing and printing leaflets and above all, played a key role in helping to unify the progressive organisations of the day into what became YULIMO.

Mike became a cornerstone, not just of the SVUT and Yulimo, but of the entire progressive movement, not just in SVG but the wider Caribbean region. He put his own meagre resources at the disposal “of the struggle” as we put it, making tremendous personal sacrifices in the process. Even when the voters of East Kingstown did not see it fit to make him their representative, he did not give up. His dedication was finally rewarded in 1998 when he was voted into parliament and three years later when he became a Minister in the ULP administration.

It was not just in political and trade union matters that the Browne family made its mark. It was also a sporting family and sister, Shirley, was an outstanding national netballer.

One brother, Mackey, was a very good opening batsman, good enough to represent a SVG youth team against an Australian top-level touring team in 1968. Mackey was also a musician, a key-member of the band CLYMAX, legendary in the history of local music bands, and led by his late brother Bonny. Clymax it was who demonstrated commitment to local progressive causes by providing free backstopping when we commemorated important solidarity events such as African Liberation
Day. And we must mention the contributions of the big sister of Mike and Joye, the late Sister Elma Dougan, in the medical field.

We must never forget and always be grateful for such priceless contributions. The “Browne” girl may no longer be in the ring, but the invaluable contributions of the family will live on.
NUFF RESPECT!

• Renwick Rose is a Social and Political commentator.