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6. FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013. THE VINCENTIAN
News
A Joshua speaks about E.T. Joshua
VINCENTIAN newspaper spoke briefly with Michael Joshua for an insight into his father’s legacy. Michael currently resides in Virginia, USA, having retired as a professor at the Virginia State University. According to Michael, his father had 5 children with his first wife, one adopted daughter and 2 outside of wedlock. Michael’s mother was Gayther George, a Vincentian of Grenadian descent. He described his father as a great teacher, who kept him at home for almost two years in order to teach him, “because he didn’t like the school It is anticipated that Ebenezer T. in the village. He would go out to Joshua will be elevated to national teach in the day and in the evening, I hero status, in time to come to come. had my lessons,” Michael revealed. (Photo credit: Keesemoore Moore) Joshua returned to St. Vincent in 1951 after ten years living abroad, including in Trinidad where he became a student of Uriah Buzz Butler, a by KENVILLE HORNE renowned Trade Unionist. He was first elected to this country’s Editor’s note: We had promised this piece in our last issu,e but because of assembly in 1951. In 1952 he founded certain circumstances were unable to the People’s Political Party (PPP), considered a socialist-oriented party, do so. We are pleased to carry it in given its stance in favour of political this issue. independence and agitation for the improvement of working conditions THE NAME EBENEZER JOSHUA is a and wages. From 1957—1967 Joshua household name in SVG. He is was Chief Minister. remembered as being the first Chief It was during this period that Minister of SVG, and for his fight in Michael began losing touch with his advancing the cause of the poor and father. He said one of his father’s marginalized. challenges in Government was However, many persons are still working with a weak civil service. puzzled about who or where are Michael thought it was best to advance Joshua’s offspring. During a himself to help his father. He traveled remembrance service for the late abroad in 1960 with the intention of leader, at the Kingstown Cemetery, Tuesday, March 19, two of ET Joshua’s studying economics, so that he could return to help his father in matters of children were in attendance: his national governance, “but I got sidedaughter La Fleur Johnson and son, tracked and never returned and he Dr. Michael Joshua. THE
never encouraged me to,” confessed the younger Joshua. He said his father would, later in his life, apologize to him for the fracture in their relationship..
Left: Dr. Michael Joshua spoke of his father sacrificing attention for his family so as to lead the struggle on behalf of the majority of Vincentians.
Joshua’s legacy Michael said prior to his father’s time in government, it was difficult for Vincentians. It was, according to Michael, a case of governing on behalf of “one third of the population, while two thirds of the population was disinherited, and that was a problem that Joshua took up. “The period that he lived in was one in which the people of St.Vincent had no say in the government, and he at all turns, tried to put something on the table that those who were governing had to listen to. He pushed the frontier to have a say in how we were governed,” Michael continued. Michael recognized that people remember his father for enabling better education for all Vincentians, by building schools. “People have mentioned the question of Schools. Schools are important, he wanted people to be educated, but basically the Government system is what he was interested in. He wanted to change the system because it was arbitrary. Right now we have a chance, in those days we didn’t have a choice,” Michael elucidated. He said his father was willing to stick his neck out, despite his family’s efforts to talk him out of it. “He was willing to stand alone in a time when you should protect yourself and your family. He was willing to sacrifice those things,” acknowledged the young Joshua.
Joshua a National hero? In 1967, the PPP lost their parliamentary majority and Joshua was succeeded by Milton Cato, leader of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party (SVGLP). Joshua remained in parliament, but the PPP began to decline as the New Democratic Party emerged as political competition. In 1979, the PPP lost all parliamentary representation, and the party was dissolved in 1984. In 1980, Joshua became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He died in Kingstown, on 14th March, 1991. The ET Joshua Airport at Arnos Vale is named in his honour, and his name is currently one of those on the list of contenders for national hero status. On the question of his father being elevated to national hero, Michael said, “ I think the people of SVG should be involved in selecting a national hero. They should select a number of persons and say, these are our candidates, and vote on who they want to enter the hall of heroes. The person with majority votes should be accepted, but now is not the time to say I want Joshua, or I want McIntosh. These guys have gone beyond the call of duty. Joshua was standing on McIntosh’s shoulder; without Mc Intosh there might not have been any Joshua.”
Coast Guard recognizes Commander Tyrone James THE ROYAL ST.VINCENT and the Grenadines Police Force Coast Guard has recognized Commander Tyrone James, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave, for his contribution to the development of the organization. On Tuesday, March 3, 2013, at a ceremony held at the Calliaqua Coast Guard Base, Acting Commander of the Coast Guard, Brenton Cain, presented Commander James, the Coast Guard’s second Vincentian commander, with a plaque and thanked him for serving St.Vincent and the Grenadines with distinction. Ag. Commander Cain lauded Commander James and former Coast Guard
Commander, David Robin, for laying the foundation at the Coast Guard “that has made life easier for those serving the organization at the present moment. “Commander James has made a tremendous contribution to the development of the Coast Guard. He was responsible for putting most of the systems in place that we are using,” said Ag.Commander Cain. Commander James took the helm of the Coast Guard in October 2005 until his secondment to the Regional Security System (RSS) in 2007. He returned to the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in January 2013, where he served as the
Director of Training until March 31, 2013. Commander James, delivering brief remarks, expressed thanks to the Coast Guard for remembering him. He also pointed out the importance of recognizing people for the contribution that they have made. “I am hoping that other persons will be recognized….I hope you all achieve your wishes and your dreams,” said Commander James. He is credited with introducing a number of programmes, among them the Youth Development Summer Programme in 1994, and the Basic Seamanship Course, 2006, as part of the Coast Guard’s strategic approach.
Commander James accepts a plaque of appreciation from Acting Commander of the Coast Guard, Brenton Cain. Commander James is a graduate of the St. Martin’s Secondary School and was part of a formidable team of track and field athletes from that institution in the 1970s. He was also a member of the track team of the Sion Hill
Sports and Cultural Organization which dominated distance running, both on the track and the road in the 1970s and 1980s. (Source: RSVG Police Force Public Relations.)