Theme 9: Movements towards Independence and Regional Integration up to 1985

Topic
What was the role of the right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante on
Jamaica’s Move toward independence?

Rationale
In today s Jamaica, it is often Said That Jamaica would be better off under B
ritish rule, rather than under its own government, This statement begs the quest
ion “Was Jamaica actually ready for independence from the British empire in 1962
?” To answer this question the social and economic state of Jamaica between 19
30 and 1962 as well as the life and works of a significant role playing social a
nd political contributor and leader at the time were both researched and analys
ed during the making of this project.

Introduction
The Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante was chosen, for this project, a
s the most Prominent contributor to Jamaican independence. He was selected beca
use he had the privilege to be elected as the first prime minister of independen
t Jamaica and the first Jamaican to receive the Order of National Hero within H
is lifetime. These great Honours Surely were not bestowed upon him by chance, b
ut by the works he did and the influence he possessed to make a difference in t
he state of Jamaica and the life of Jamaicans back then.
Jamaica, like the rest of the British West Indies, in the 1930 s was in the m
idst of a labour unrest stirred up by wide spread poverty, underpayment and une
mployment in an atmosphere of racial tension. In a population of approximately
1,121,823 between 1935 and 1938 (“The politics of labour in the British Caribbea
n”, source) it was estimated that some 404,000 were wage earners 231,000 of whic
h were only dependent on wage income in a colony where wage earners were either
unpaid or underpaid. Jamaica was in need of a dramatic labour reform. Though t
here were some amount of labour reform organisations in Jamaica during the first
thirty years of the twentieth century there was none that was lasting.
According to the author of “Jamaican Politics a Marxist Prospective in Trans
ition” Trevor Monroe “Labour had long craved a Messiah; Bustamante became the me
ssiah for the under enfranchised, the unemployed, the underemployed and the unde
rpaid.” Alexander Bustamante formed the first lasting and influential labour uni
on, namely the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and was the one of the
Patriarchs of the two major political parties in Jamaica.

Bustamante s Early life

The Eldest son of an Irish planter and property overseer ,Robert Christine Cl
arke and a Jamaican Mother, Mary Clarke ; William Alexander Clarke (Alexander Bu
stamante) Was born in Blenheim , Hanover , Jamaica on the 4th of February 188
4 .
He migrated to Cuba at the age of Twenty-one as a clerk and then a Tram car
Inspector. He joined The Cuban Police force in 1920. After He Migrated to new
York where he became a dietician and then a money lender where he became moderat
ely wealthy following the stock market crash of 1929. Alexander Bustamante retur
ned to Jamaica in 1932 setting up a money lending business. He was weary of the
poor working conditions and poverty of the working class which deeply concerned
him an eventually caused him to act. Along with the assistance of persons such a
s St. William Grant He began to speak out, Write letters organize protests and
riots in Support of the worker s struggles. These activities sometimes took him
to other British Caribbean territories.
By 1937 He had become the treasurer of the Jamaica Workers and Tradesmen s
Union (JWTC), lead by Allan George St. Claver Coombs. His Charismatic Style of s
peaking drew Large Audiences at meetings. He began visiting the scene of labour
disputes across Jamaica and acted as a mediator between workers and employers.

The Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante

From www.EncyclopediaBritannica.Com

The labour Wars

Frome Sugar factory, Westmoreland
From http://www...flickr.com
• Rising tensions
 A series of violent demonstrations erupted in 1938 against working
conditions. Wages had taken a retrograde step to 1 shilling and 6 pe
nce; the same rate at which they were in emancipation in 1838. May of
the same year saw riots at the Frome sugar factory which left eight
dead and over eleven wounded. Martial law was declared following the
incident giving the security forces unrestricted power. These riots M
arked the beginning of the road to independence.

• Actions Taken
On May Fourth Bustamante denounced Governor Denham at a mass meetin
g in Kingston; Blaming him For Misinforming Britain on the labour cri
sis In Jamaica. On the Twenty-third of May, the he called for a stri
ke at the waterfront by wharf workers and marched a crowd through the
city. They where violently dispersed by the local by the local polic
e and British military troops stationed in Jamaica. Bustamante and St.
William Grant were arrested for sedition and inciting unlawful assembl
y.
Before 1938 the impact of trade unionism was virtually nonexistent;
But in that same year Bustamante established the Bustamante Industrial
Trade Union and was hailed “the People s champion” and “labour leader
”. In 1939 Bustamante called For an Island wide Strike, but received
support only from Banana and waterfront labourers. The following year,
1940, a State of Emergency was declared as the British Empire entered
World War 2. Bustamante along With other Trade Unionist of The TUC
where detained at Gibraltar Camp (now Up park Camp) as a security t
hreat to the defence of the realm of Jamaica. The remaining member o
f The BITU and the PNP tried to negotiate his release.

• Outcome
The stance taken by Bustamante was of critical importance in forming
is image as an influential leader. His active charismatic speeches and
Organizing of strikes Brought the both the needed attention of the pu
blic and the unwanted attention from the authorities.
During the riots of 1938 called by Bustamante the waterfront was rende
red on shutdown and the city of Kingston tense. This as well as the
strikes of 1939 brought the attention of not only the local governm
ent but Britain to the situation in Jamaica.
Bustamante was seen as a security threat and detained on two occasi
ons. On his release he, along with others, Where seen as heroes by their
supporters for their actions.
Labour reform was a major outcome which came with the formation of th
e BITU.

Political Moves toward Independence

• PNP
As the BITU grew in strength and image throughout 1938, Norman Ma
nley, Alexander s Cousin, decided to Launch his New political Party; t
he People s National Party (PNP). The acquisition of political power w
as of vital importance to the labour movement as it allowed them to
legally challenge the authorities.
Bustamante in turn became a strong political figure and began work
ing with Norman Manley, amongst others and gave full support to the
People s National Party (PNP). In 1939 Bustamante called for an Island
wide Strike, but received support only from a minority of labourers.
Following the incident he resigned from the PNP and withdrew the BITU
from the Trade union council (TUC).

• JLP
Bustamante went on and successfully founded the Jamaica labour pa
rty (JLP) in 1943; a rival to the PNP. In 1944 , the same year Bri
tain granted Jamaica Universal adult suffrage, the first election was
held. The JLP won twenty-two seats out of twenty six seats. Bustamante
became the first leader of the executive council and took the post
of minister of communications and works. In 1947 he was elected as
mayor of Kingston and in 1953 the constitution was changed and Bustam
ante became the first chief minister of the council of ministers. The
JLP lost power to the PNP in the 1955 elections; But that same ye
ar Bustamante was made Knight Bachelor ( an Order of the British Empir
e) by the queen and Was now Sir Alexander Bustamante.
The formation of the JLP as a rival to the PNP contributed to th
e formation of a Bi-Partisan system , which is a key principle of demo
cracy and is still in use in Jamaica to date.
Insignia of the Knight bachelor
From www.NZDF.mil

• FEDERALISM VS. INDEPENDENCE

In 1957, as an experiment in modified government , the British forme

d the West Indian Federation . This was intended to unite various terri
tories in the region ultimately leading to a “one region” independence.
Sir Alexander Bustamante formed the Democratic Labour party to chal
lenge the, Norman Manley lead, West Indian Federal Labour Party in the
Federal Elections . Unfortunately for Sir Alexander Bustamante the JLP
lost the next Jamaican election in 1959 And The DLP lost the Federal
Elections.
In 1960 the tide of Federal support by Jamaicans Had changed; Jamaic
a , despite having the half the population of the Federation , held a
minority of seats and felt that they were being misrepresented .

Flag of the West Indies Federation

From WWW.CRWFlags.com

• INDEPENDENCE
 The JLP/DLP Withdrew federal support and forced the Government (PNP)
to Call a referendum . On September 19, 1961 the JLP gained a majority
of votes for National and not Federal independence.
A delegation of both political leaders, Sir Alexander Bustamante and
Norman Washington Manley , Went To London , England to negotiate Jamaica
s Independence. On April 19, 1962 an election took place and Jamaican
s Chose Who should lead the Nation to Independence. Jamaica Was Granted
Independence On August 6, 1962 Under the leadership of The Right Excelle
nt Sir Alexander Bustamante.

Flag of Jamaica
From WWW.CRWFlags.com

CONCLUSION

Jamaica was ready for independence in 1962. Jamaica between 1930 an

d 1962 went through an economic and labour crisis of a region in rag
e and was on the brink of revolt. The formation of the BITU and th
e organisation of strikes “lent a note of urgency to those who had
long felt that something had to be done about the condition of the
colony” (Trevor Monroe, Author ).
The strikes Lead to a regional inquiry by a royal commission in 19
40 granting Local political control in 1944 under Universal adult Suffr
age; this gave rise to democracy and “ Ejected ” British imperialism in
Jamaica.
Bustamante was instrumental in the reformation of the working class, w
hich greatly improved the economic and social welfare, and the formati
on a major political party the Jamaica Labour Party which lead Jamaica
through to its independence in 1962.
Who better to lead Jamaica than a person who was held great influen
ce in the hearts and minds of Jamaicans and was imprisoned for the s
ake of Jamaican s rights; The Right Excellent sir Alexander Bustamante,
National hero of Jamaica.
Sir Alexander Bustamante
From www.findagrave.com/photo

APPENDIX
Sir Alexander Bustamante
From www.findagrave.com/photos
I
Insignia of the Knight bachelor
From www.NZDF.mil

Alexander Bustamante showing JLP party sign

From http://www..flickr.com
Frome Sugar factory , Westmoreland
From http://www..flickr.com
The Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante
From www.EncyclopediaBritannica.Com
Official opening of the Bustamante museum in 2009
from WWW.kingshouse.gov.jm
Flag of Jamaica
From WWW.CRWFlags.com
Flag of The West Indies Federation
From WWW.CRWFlags.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bolland, Nigel; 2001 - “The politics of labour of the British Caribbean: the soc
ial origins of Authoritarianism and democracy in the labour movement” ; chapter
5- the labour rebellions 1934-9
Knox, A. J. G ; 1977 -“Collier s Encyclopaedia”; Vol.13, Jamaica, history
Monroe, Trevor, 1990 -”Jamaican Politics: A Marxist prospective in transition; B
ustamante labour movement”, page 64
Senior, Olive ; 2003 - “Encyclopaedia of Jamaican Heritage”; Bustamante ,the Rt.
Excellent Sir Alexander
Sherlock , Philips; 1977 - “Collier s Encyclopaedia”; Vol.5, Bustamante, Alexand
er
WWW.EncyclopediaBritannica.Com (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
WWW.findagrave.com
WWW.flickr.com
WWW.ITZ Carribean.com
WWW.JIS.COM (Jamaica information Service)
WWW.kingshouse.gov.jm (Kings House , Jamaica , Website)
WWW.NZDF.mil (new Zealand defence force)
U.S. Library of Congress (Online source)