The march to Independence
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH St. Kitts and Nevis set to celebrate its 31st independence anniversary tomorrow (Sept. 19), former Government Minister and social commentator, Dwyer Astaphan is reflecting on the activities that led to the Federation earning its independence.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Astaphan explained the transition from slavery into colonial rule and to the march to independence
“When we transitioned into colonialism the same arrangements continued (as in slavery) and it must be noted that there was always rebellion…against the enslavement or against colonialism.
“The St. Kitts and Nevis Workers League was formed in 1932. In those days political parties were prohibited under the law as were workers unions.”
He stated that it was not until 1935 following the Buckley’s riot that things began to change.
“It is only after the 1935 riots at Buckley’s which had ripple effects throughout the whole Caribbean, that the British government sent a man here that the British governments called Lord Moin [Moeen] and he did a lot of investigations throughout and reported back to England how terrible the circumstances were, the living conditions, the working conditions, the deprivation of education, the health and all of these things.
“That opened the door to political parties and unions and so forth and gradually people getting a chance to vote. The last election in the 19th century was in 1877 and the first election there was in the 20th century was in 1937. In those days you only could vote if you had a certain amount of wealth. So for example, in the 1937 election although the population was about 40,000 only 1,600 people were eligible to vote in St. Kitts and maybe 300 in Nevis.”
“It was not until 1952 when universal adult suffrage came in that everybody got the right to vote. Even up to 1967, only people of an economic level were allowed to sit as jurors and that changed.”
Astaphan added that in the 1930s, a number of individuals were responsible for starting the process of taking the Federation out of colonialism into self-rule
“Going back to the 1930s, you had people like Thomas Manchester, Mathew Sebastian, Cyril Halbert, Solomon Nathan Wilkes, Archibald Allen and a number of people…if you want to call them freedom fighters or whatever, yes…come right through to France, Bradshaw, Southwell and all of those stalwarts helped to take us to self-rule.
“You had different types of ministerial systems. You had the committee system and so on…none of which favored democracy. So every inch of progress that was made came as a result of stern unyielding struggle by the masses of people through their leaders in a partnership.”
Astaphan told this publication that by time the 60s rolled in, the platform for independence was being laid by the Bradshaw-administration with improvements in social and infrastructural developments.
“In the 60s the platform was being laid for independence. By that time the Bradshaw administration had begun setting up a system of clinics throughout the country which helped a great deal with regards to the health situation at all. Then in the 60s you had the Education Act, in the 50s you had the Slum Clearance act to help provide affordable housing for people.
“Then you had the acquisition of Frigate Bay to develop that as a tourism and residential area. All of these thing in the 60s and 70s, the opening of the industrial estate at Sandy Point, Bird Rock and Ponds Pasture and a number of other things; the airport, sea port and a number of other infrastructural things, physical and social to position the country to go to independence.
“All to empower the people because independence is about sovereignty, it is about self-determination; it is about nation pride and all of these things.”
He added that the final step towards independence was the acquiring of the sugar estate lands by the Rt. Excellent Sir Robert L Bradshaw but the process encountered some difficulty.
“One of the final steps towards independence was in 1975 when the acquisition of the sugar estate lands was effected. So he thought he had laid the platform completely by 1975 for the nation to go to independence.
“He did win the 1975 election with a strong mandate from St. Kitts but Nevis voters were uncomfortable going into independence. They were not in favor of it under the existing situation. So independence was not achieved until after a change of government in 1980 when the PAM/NRP took office and in 1983 when we got independence.”
He added that by that time, Great Britain was of the opinion that it was willing to allow the Federation to get its independence.
“While there was an age-old struggle for independence, the United Kingdom had reached the point sometime before, with sugar not as powerful as it had been in the world market. Because more than 100 years earlier, beet sugar was discovered in Europe and the British wanted to rid themselves of us as well. So we wanted to go and they wanted us to leave.
“So we got our independence in 1983.”
