BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, May 5th 2014 (TUCOM): -- Members of TEAM UNITY yesterday paid homage to fallen heroes of the labour movement in St. Kitts and Nevis.
TEAM UNITY and People’s Labour Party (PLP) Leader, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris, joined PLP Deputy Leader, the Hon. Sam Condor, People’s Action Movement (PAM) candidate, Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd, former Minister of Government and Leader of Operation Rescue, Dwyer Astaphan, and other members of Team Unity, to lay wreaths on the graves of the Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, First National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir C.A. Paul Southwell, National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Joseph N. France, National Hero, Sir Lee L. Moore, E. St. John Payne, Clarence Fitzroy Bryant and Joseph O’Flaherty.
The members of TEAM UNITY sang hymns of praise, prayed and recounted the important contributions that these stalwarts of the labour movement played in the social, economic and political transformation of this country. They spoke of the challenges our people endured during the days of colonization and the sacrifices made and risks taken by fearless men of pride and principle who stood at the vanguard of the fight for social, political and economic reform at a time when it was not popular or beneficial to do so.
Led by Sir Robert Bradshaw, these men of honor made social and economic justice, empowerment of the working class and opportunities for upward mobility their raison d’être. They fought for more and better employment opportunities for our people; improved working conditions; higher wages; access to better and higher education; improved health conditions and reduction in the mortality rate; affordable housing; land ownership; adult suffrage; and entrenchment of democratic principles through government of the people, by the people, for the people.
In laying a wreath on the grave of our first national hero, the TEAM UNITY leader said it was unfortunate that at this time, especially as we celebrate another workers day, we have occupying the highest political office in the land, a man in Dr. Douglas who has, by his actions, reversed much of the gains the workers and people of this country made as a result of the work done by the “brave, selfless, law-abiding and principled men to whom we pay homage today”.
Today, we see an emerging dictatorship and the erosion of our democracy; the wanton violation of our constitution; our standard of living precipitously decline as burdensome taxes eat away at workers disposable incomes; perennial and persistent low economic growth and high debt as revenues, land and other public resources continue to be used, abused and mismanaged by a now illegitimate administration concerned only about securing its incumbency; decimation of the middle and working class leading to increasing poverty; erosion of the social safety net as critical government revenue gets diverted to a slush fund for use by foreigners and friends of Dr. Douglas; land and home ownership increasingly becoming a dream rather than a reality; the quality of our health and education systems compromised and national development jeopardized by arrogance and mismanagement, as manifested in the current crisis at the Basseterre High School, an iconic national institution.
So, as we come together in unity, people from all political persuasions and former political rivals, pay their respects to our fallen heroes, men whose work, dedication and principles epitomize the spirit of unity and togetherness that this fledgling, people-centred movement has at its core.
We in Team Unity say that we will always remember our national heroes and fallen comrades. We will forever be indebted to them for leading the way, charting the course and setting the foundation and framework for growth, development, empowerment and prosperity for ALL our people.
May their souls rest in eternal peace.
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