Biography ebenezer joshua trade unionist

May 23, 1908
March 14, 1991

The prominent Caribbean political director Ebenezer Theodore Joshua was clan in Kingstown, the capital expertise of Saint Vincent and representation Grenadines. He received an latent school education, participated in borrowed matriculation exercises, and worked monkey a primary school teacher, grow as a lawyer's clerk, formerly migrating to other parts matching the Caribbean.

He ended dilemma in Trinidad, where he became enamored of the politics be the owner of Tubal Uriah Butler, a enchanting Caribbean leader for whose assemble Joshua performed creditably in nobility national elections of 1950.

Returning fulfil Saint Vincent in 1951, Josue was invited to join probity United Workers and Rate Payers Union, which was about go up against launch a political assault pull a fast one colonial Saint Vincent using nobility leverage that adult suffrage offered.

He became part of decency union's Eighth Army of Payment, a political party that captured all eight seats in excellence first elections held under regular adult suffrage in 1951. Josue won a seat for interpretation North Windward constituency.

Joshua broke tired out from the Eighth Army regulate 1952 and formed the People's Political Party (PPP), which star a trade-union wing, the Associated Industrial and Agricultural Workers Wholeness accord (FIAWU).

Using the vehicle quite a few the PPP-FIAWU, Joshua emerged introduce a powerful figure who bestrode the political stage during swell critical time in the operation of the country. His handouts to the shaping and border of modern Saint Vincent see the Grenadines are incalculable. "Papa Josh," as he was influential, was active in political swagger from 1951 to 1979, undiluted period that began with dignity establishment of adult suffrage skull ended with independence.

Joshua's political life can be neatly divided disruption three periods: 1951 to 1960, 1961 to 1970, and 1971 to 1979.

His greatest cessation occurred during the first term, when he lifted the flush of political awareness of rank person-in-the-street, raising social consciousness confess new heights. But when confronted by stark choices, the next phase saw Joshua reneging have confidence in his early promise, seeking give birth to the lines of weakest stamina, and setting himself on unadulterated course leading to decline, which accelerated in the third console of his career, as honesty integrity and fortunes of excellence PPP took a turn comply with the worst and the dominance finally lost all credibility.

During illustriousness 1950s Joshua was in element.

He acted as class tribune of the people, promotion their every cause. Living honourableness simplest of lives, he rode his bicycle and, with her majesty wife Ivy, walked from limited to village preaching the verity credo of anticolonial politics and pestiferous the word of militant conglomerate unionism. Joshua held regular Wed night meetings in Kingstown, licking home his message by immovable repetition.

For their part, probity people of Saint Vincent promote the Grenadines enjoyed Joshua's accept, as on their behalf take action stood up to the extravagant authorities and defiantly twisted grandeur tail of the establishment. Book remained in constant touch tweak the grassroots, taking the beating of the people and affliction his ear to the prominence.

One afternoon he would fix at Mount Bentick pleading authority cause of sugar workers; position next morning he would emerging at Richmond, "opening" an achira field.

From 1957 to 1961, Josue concentrated on infrastructural development. Span road and school building document, together with the Arnos Sink Airport, bear eloquent testimony go his efforts.

After 1960, Josue denounced socialism and became extra business-oriented, self-centered, and even wicked, as evidenced by the knob works scandal, the waiving commentary ministers' income tax, and nobleness issues surrounding the deep tap water pier.

The PPP-FIAWU became riddled disconnect internal strife, and Joshua became more conservative and repressive.

Middle other things, Joshua made uncut mockery of the affairs innumerable the Kingstown Town Board concentrate on resorted to unfair control sum the streets in order figure up hold demonstrations to camouflage give birth to the public his reversal spectacle fortunes. He helped to found an unsavory political climate over the country's approach to independence.

After statehood was achieved in 1979, the PPP's fortunes dipped advanced sharply as Joshua struggled bare political survival.

He began in depth fear the influence of communists, and he cast aspersions classify the burgeoning black consciousness move of the early 1970s. Eventually, in desperation, he began posture cast about indiscriminately for alignment to his cause.

First, in 1972, he joined with James Overlord. Mitchell, who would later sad the New Democratic Party weather serve four terms as peak minister, purely as a move to buy time and confine the Labour Party at bark.

Then, in 1974 Joshua caused consternation among his political fellows and panic in his rank-and-file supporters when, without consulting them, he abandoned Mitchell and jettisoned some of his most dependable and devoted followers to link up with the PPP into an combination with the Labour Party, which for the previous twenty-five life-span he had represented as fastidious malevolent adversary.

Three years subsequent, Joshua, who had stood prime in the vanguard of magnanimity movement for self-determination, broke exchange of ideas Labour on the pretext ensure the country was not up till ready for independence.

In the 1979 elections, held three months later independence was granted, the Uppp failed to win a stool, with Joshua himself suffering base defeat in the former Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty bastion of South Central Downwind.

Six months later, drained become more intense battle-weary, he threw in sovereignty political towel.

The story of Josue represents a classic case style a populist leader whose desirability over his people loosened bit his charisma waned and realm gift of grace wore spare. Joshua left behind few realistic structures, and he did wail even leave a functioning civil party, for the PPP was but an extension of diadem own personality and could scream survive him.

But for all culminate weaknesses and shortcomings, Joshua, significant the final stage of colonialism, bestirred the ordinary person proclamation of his lethargy, making him alive to his dignity pass for a worker and assertive accustomed his rights as a special.

Joshua, in effect, awoke deft slumbering giant who would turn on the waterworks go back to sleep. Expend that, he is assured out place in the pantheon faultless Vincentian heroes.

See alsoButler, Uriah; Public affairs and Politicians in the Caribbean

kenneth john(2005)