Jamaica honoured its only living national hero, the Rt Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, with the unveiling of his statue in Victoria Square, Kingston. The ceremony, featuring dignitaries such as Governor-General Sir Clifford Campbell, Prime Minister Hugh Shearer, and Opposition Leader Michael Manley, highlighted Bustamante's contributions as a leader and patriot.

Published May 25, 1970

Statue of Sir Alexander unveiled

Thousands throng Victoria Square for ceremony

ANOTHER HIGH honour was paid by Jamaica on May 24 to its only living national hero, the Rt Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, as the statue of himself, which has been erected in historic Victoria Square in Kingston, was formally unveiled.

His wife, Lady Bustamante, performed the act of unveiling as the high point of a ceremony in which Governor-General, Sir Clifford Campbell; the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Hugh Shearer; and the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Manley, were among the principal participants.

Organized by the National Trust Commission (NTC) and co-sponsored by the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), the ceremony was the occasion for another national demonstration of the great esteem and affection in which Sir Alexander is held throughout the island.

Thousands of persons attended, from Cabinet ministers to ordinary citizens, thronging the famous square. Men, women and children from all walks of life filled the central area to overflowing and crowded the nearby rails of Victoria Park and of the Kingston Parish Church.

There was a roar of applause and an upsurge of excitement when Lady Bustamante pulled away the Jamaican flag which covered it, to reveal the life-size statue of Sir Alexander, executed in bronze by the Jamaican sculptor Alvin Marriott.

DRAMATIC MOMENT

Standing facing east on the pedestal on which had formerly stood the statue of Queen Victoria, the effigy of the national hero has captured his dramatic moment when he emerged as the leader of the Jamaican workers in May 1938.

His right hand is outstretched and the left is raised to his bared chest, recalling his famous words to the police, quoted by two of the speakers: “Shoot me, but leave my people alone!”

Frank Hill, chairman of the National Trust, was chairman of the ceremony; and other speakers, in addition to Sir Clifford, Mr Shearer and Mr Manley, were the Hon Edward Seaga, minister of finance and planning; Councillor Algon Samuels, acting mayor of Kingston; and Edith Nelson, general secretary of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union.

Sir Alexander, a still-stately figure, sat in a special place in front of the platform with Lady Bustamante beside him. They were early arrivals and sat in quiet prominence awaiting the start of the ceremony, the centre of the admiration of the large attendance.

On the platform were members of the Cabinet, members of parliament, councillors of the KSAC, members of the NTC, and other representative persons, including Edna Manley, widow of the Rt Excellent Norman Manley, National Hero.

SALUTE

On arrival, the prime minister and the governor-general were saluted by the Jamaica Military Band, playing the National Anthem. When Sir Clifford, who was the last to arrive, had taken his place on the platform, the ceremony started on time, at 4:30 p.m.

Mr Hill opened the proceedings by asking the Rt Rev Samuel Carter, S.J., Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Kingston, and Archdeacon E. L. Maxwell, of the Anglican Church, to say prayers.

Making his own contribution to the speeches, Mr Hill gave an account of the historical background of Sir Alexander, to place "this great man in the proper historic setting", as he phrased it.

Councillor Samuels, deputising for Councillor Emerson Barrett, the mayor, who is off the island, spoke of the occasion as a national one in which all Jamaicans were joining to pay honour to an outstanding son of Jamaica.

Miss Nelson, who had been associated with Sir Alexander from the early days of the trade union movement, made one of the most stirring speeches of the afternoon. From her long and close contact with him, she paid eloquent tribute to the man who had championed the cause of the working classes of Jamaica.

FATEFUL DAY

She drew loud applause and cheers as she recalled the fateful day in May 1938 when Bustamante, facing thousands of demonstrating workers and a group of armed police, said to the police: “Shoot me, but leave my people alone!”

“What Jamaica needs is more Bustamantes”, she declared, to another burst of applause from the huge gathering.

Mr Seaga, under whose ministry is the NTC, used the occasion to report on the progress of the programme for the official recognition of Jamaica's national heroes, starting with the entombment of Marcus Garvey and coming to the unveiling of the statue of Bustamante.

Looking to the future, he also gave details of the plan to erect and unveil a statue of the Rt Excellent Norman Manley, National Hero, at the northern side of Victoria Park, this ceremony to take place next year, on Mr Manley's birthday, July 4.

Speaking next, Mr Michael Manley endorsed the national nature of the occasion and joined in paying tribute to Sir Alexander, whom he described as "a giant among men".

"We salute you, Sir Alexander, as a warrior for the causes in which you believed. We salute you as an astute politician and, above all, we salute you as a patriot to all Jamaicans." Mr Manley said.

After Lady Bustamante had unveiled the statue, and the function rose to its emotional highpoint, Mr Shearer spoke. He gave an account of the rise of Bustamante as trade union leader and later as leader of government - a period of career that went back over 30 years. "Over the years, under his leadership, through the union, through the party, and in a variety of national efforts, he has given this country leadership such as provided solid advances in all fields," Mr Shearer said.

"All Jamaica wish him long life, and even after the physical end when we know his spirit and influence and guidance and inspiration will be here with us, this statue unveiled this afternoon from the people of Jamaica will always be a permanent monument to the man who has contributed so much for the people of Jamaica and a man to whom so many of us owe so much."

The final speaker was the governor-general, who recalled his first meeting with Sir Alexander in the troublous days of the sugar estate disturbances. He spoke of the national hero's sympathy for the destitute.

"This evening will long be remembered in the annals of the history of our country," he said. "Millions yet unborn will come to this spot and gaze on the statue of the Rt Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante. "Many will learn valuable lessons from his life and work."

CHEERS

At the end of the ceremony, members of the crowd, especially the younger ones, milled around the statue and around Sir Alexander and Lady Bustamante. Many tried to get near him to touch him but the watchful police kept them from getting too close.

Then the mational hero and his lady were assisted into their motor car and driven off, to the cheers of the crowd.

There were cheers, too, for Mr Shearer and for Mr Manley, as partisan politics made a brief appearance at the end of a national occasion on which, as both leaders had remarked, the National Motto was being given practical expression.

Among the large crowd were members of the diplomatic and consular corps, members of the clergy, members of the judiciary, senior civil servants, leaders of national organizations, and others.

Occupying a prominent position was Mr St William Grant, one of the earliest associates of Sir Alexander, remarkable, as usual in a military-type uniform. Also present was another early associate of Sir Alexander, Mr Vivian Durham.

Ministers of government present included the Hon Robert Lightbourne; the Hon Edwin Allen; the Hon Roy McNeill; the Hon Victor Grant; the Hon John P. Gyles; the Hon William McLaren, the Hon Cleve Lewis; and Sir Neville Ashenheim.

Other members of parliament included the Hon Eugene Parkinson, Senator Cyril Atkinson, Senator Joseph McPherson, Senator Ivan Moore, Senator Venetia McDonald, Dr Arthur Burt, Dr Neville Gallimore, and Messrs David Lindo, Emile Joseph, David Coore, Matthew Henry, and Dr Kenneth McNeill.

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