BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWO days before Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Sam Condor tendered his resignation, he had further voiced his disagreement with the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank (Vesting of Certain Lands) Bill 2012.
Speaking at the 78th Commemoration Ceremony of the Buckley’s Riot on Monday (Jan. 28), Condor said he found it “extremely difficult for anybody to take part in any Act that would divest and really barter the patrimony of the people”.
Introduced by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, the Land for Debt Swap Bill had all three readings in the National Assembly on September 21, 2012.
Condor and former Senior Minister the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris had opposed the Bill during the debate, citing that other alternatives could have been sought.
In his remarks on Monday, Condor praised the work of the late Premier Robert L. Bradshaw who acquired the sugar lands from the planter class.
He described the occurrence of the Riot as an “important national event in our history”.
“It is important to understand where we’ve come from and where we are if we are to chart a course forward.”
He hoped that the anniversary celebration would act as an “incentive to sensitise our general population and the people of this country about the importance of Buckley’s and what it means”.
In his analysis of the Buckley’s Riot and the acquisition of land for the people of St. Kitts, Condor said, “In fact, it is interesting that we are having this celebration at a time when we have in the country a debate going on about the investing in the National Bank Lands Act because this is what Buckley’s represents.
“Buckley’s is the beginning…the movement where the whole idea of this consciousness for the liberation of our people started in 1935. Not only the political liberation, but the economic liberation; and that is why it was important the late revered Right Excellent Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw came right here in Buckley’s in January of 1975 to acquire all the lands.”
He summed up Bradshaw’s efforts in acquiring the lands from the planter class as being “the most important thing that any citizen of our country could do. That is, to acquire for their benefit and for prosperity all the really productive lands in the isle of their birth”.
Condor informed that a Comrade Wattley, who was very close to Bradshaw, told the late Premier that he was “equating what was taking place in Buckley’s that day to Emancipation of our people”.
“That is how they saw it!” he added. “So you would understand the importance and the significance of the Land Acquisition Act for our people.”
