Mitchell and Eustace: A Non Issue (Part 2)

In spite of an explosive burst of spleen in last week’s interview, I still hold that Mitchell has been the most positive and constructive of our Heads of Government to date. If in his’ ‘nonage’ he continues to tarnish his image, he may well do permanent damage to his legacy.

My theme is simple to demonstrate that Mitchell’s was no one-man-band performance as he delights in portraying "I did this, I did that”, but a team effort in which many had taken part, especially ex-members of the Educational Forum of the People (1969-79).

Mitchell first tried out his own thing, "The Grand Caribbean Unity Movement”, which had a baptism of fire from the people, 1965, which hounded the GCUM off the public stage, once and for all. "Archie Bruck Dem Up”.

Next, Mitchell appeared in 1966 election as a successful candidate in the Grenadines constituency for the SVLP which formed the Opposition 4 to 5.

In 1967, Sam Slater crossed the floor to make it, after subsequent elections, 6 to 3 in Labour’s favour, including Mitchell as new Minister of Trade and Agriculture.

Mitchell picked a quarrel and staged a protest march in Bequia over supposed neglect, and finally gave up his ministry, and was booted out of the Party which called election straightaway in 1972.

The results showed 6 Labour 6 PPP and Mitchell, who displayed great negotiating skills of nerve-wracking intensity in pulling off the Premiership of the Junta Party. Within two years, the Junta Government so-called collapsed when Mr. and Mrs Joshua switched their support to Labour, which won the follow-up election 1974. Ten- Two-One is murder: 10 Labourite 2 PPP and 1 Mitchell.

Meanwhile Mitchell had formed the New Democratic Party in 1975, with himself as Leader, Owen Walker as Secretary, and Cherry Smith as Priest who gave the Party its name. The country then experienced political turbulence everywhere. A youthful group had founded the EFP which took part in the elections of 1974 as well as those of 1979 as part of a wider grouping, the UPM from which it broke in 1979 on account of Dr. Gonsalves’ proposals that we formally adopt communism as our guiding philosophy.

As far back as 1974, three front-line members of the Forum - Kerwyn Morris, Parnel Campbell and this writer - had been invited over to Bequia by Mitchell to advise him in the 6.6.1 situation. And Parnel and I subscribed to the wording of the speech by which Premier Mitchell greeted his people. And I, Kenneth John, was initially offered a senate seat by the triumphant Mitchell.

So it should not surprise anybody that following the break-up of the UPM, members on the loose should choose the NDP whereon to rest their head.

The 1984 election was instructive. The Theme of that election held in the carnival season was captured by calypsonian Becket with his song "Horn Fuh Dem”, on which John Horne preyed to win West Kingstown. Eddie Griffith took East Kingstown, young Marcus De Freitas took West St George, and Jerry Scott, as an associate of the EFP, completed the circle around the capital with South Leeward in the bag, all of which today NDP still manages to dominate, despite the occasional reverses.

It was out of respect that president James Mitchell asked his friend J.L Eustace and P.R and myself to be the three wise men that launched his first foray: Parnel became Attorney-General and Deputy Leader, while I served as Chairman of the PSC fifteen years!

It bears notice that the current President of the Party, the controversial Arnhim Eustace, one of the two vice-presidents, the Major St Clair Leacock and the general-secretary Allan Cruickshank were all members of the EFP from the early 1970s.

One has to conclude that EFP has been a silent (not sleeping) partner of the robust NDP throughout its history.

The truth is that NDP (incorporating the EFP) behaved especially in its early days, like a house set on fire.

Both factions had similar social and political beliefs best captured in Mitchell’s coinage of "a property-owning democracy” and liberation that inhered in the title "democratic” what Mitchell contributed was inspired and undaunted leadership.

Culturally, the NDP pushed carnival through its new Chairman of the Festival, the world reknowned "Shake” Keane, a very close friend of Mitchell.

We abolished so-called Discovery Day, and went so far as to change our flag, cutting out the miniature Union Jack.

As an agriculturalist, Mitchell had placed emphasis on "Dig a better life,” and generally focussed on SVG becoming "a property- owning Democracy”. Hence a progressive land reform project was being implemented, and agriculture was planned around "green gold”, for which the ground-work was prepared in the Rabacca land reform project.

A thrust was made in the area of tourism, especially in the Grenadines, where native right to the beaches were all safe-guarded according to an official script of Mitchell himself "to hell with Paradise”.

On mainland Saint Vincent, the Mitchell Government had purchased two estates from the last of the plantocrats, and redirected a public road to make the area suitable for total development.

Have the most impressive Prime Minister to date and the finest specimen of straightforwardness gone past the point of reconciliation? I don’t believe so.

But some nagging snags have cropped up, forcing interesting persons to re-think their position.

Whatever problem there is, sprang from Mitchell’s understandable misconception that the NDP is an extension of his own personality, "Son” writ large.

It is befuddling that, with tribal warfare on the rampage, the ULP could hold the continued fight for power, it does not add up.

This skirmish is really a non-issue, a side-track from election petition, their fall-out, the uncertain future that we currently face.

Reader Comments

Vinci Vin
MAY 06, 2016 • James Mitchell might have been remembered as a Vincentian statesman, except for his lust to regain power/leadership from Arnhim Eustace. Mitchell points the failure of the NDP to win the last 4 elections as the fault of Eustace. Therefore, he wants to tell everyone who listens that if Arnhim leaves the leadership of the party things would be different. Unfortunately, Mitchell plays a great role in the poor fortunes of the party. Had he thrown his support unconditionally to the party and healed the fractures among the party members the ULP would have been routed. But Mitchell could not stand to see Arnhim win without Mitchell as the "Big Man". He has framed the debate around himself and Arnhim. And to hell with the interest of Vincentians. Jemes Mitchell should be ashamed of himself!

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