The other side of Milton Cato – National Hero?

iii) Harassment of Renwick Rose

The Vincentian newspaper carried an item on the harassment of Rose. In June 1984 under the caption “Police in Fruitless Search for Weapons”

it stated, “About 18

armed policemen were involved last Sunday in a search for arms and ammunition on the premises of Renwick Rose, a leader of the United Peoples’ Movement and Editor of the Party Organ, JUSTICE. According to a release issued by the UPM the police party was armed with ‘sophisticated weapons’. Some of the raiding lawmen who were dressed in what the release described as ‘military fatigues’ were placed in positions around Rose’s house; others proceeded with the search which continued for about two hours.” Rose’s yard was dug up and his house thoroughly searched. Neither arms nor ammunition were located. Rose was however charged for being in possession of prohibited literature after being detained for approximately two hours. The case was called on Tuesday and adjourned until the 18th. Rose is being represented by Barrister-at – Law, Adrian Saunders.
The Commissioner of Police Mr Felix Constantine was contacted in connection with the search. He said that ‘this is one of the many searches conducted by the police with warrants’ in the course of their duties over the past few months…
The Movement for National Unity led by Ralph Gonsalves condemned the action in no uncertain terms in the party organ Unity. The raid was described as ‘particularly distasteful’.
In a reproduced release Unity said, “the irrationality of it all ought to disturb law abiding citizens who well understand the trademarks of fascism which include irrationality and intellectualism, Militarism and undemocratic rule.”
Son Mitchell’s New Democratic Party reported in New Times an extract from UPM’s press release on the subject- “Cmde. Rose’s yard was dug up and his house thoroughly searched. The search lasted for approximately two hours during which time the entire neighbourhood came out of their homes to witness the spectacle. It must be said that the policemen themselves who carried out the search treated Cmde. Rose in a cordial and decent manner…”

iv) Security Forces Monitored Ralph Gonsalves
Following what was called the Rodney Affair in Jamaica, Ralph Gonsalves who was then a student in Jamaica returned home and gave a lecture on the Rodney incident at the Grammar School. Hudson Soso was so appalled by the monitoring of Gonsalves that he was forced to write about it. This he did in a piece in the Vincentian of January 18, 1969. Soso got his names mixed up at some point and started out by referring to Malcolm Garraway. He called it a Black Monday “…as far as St.Vincent was concerned for some of my readers will be appalled and horrified to know that two members of the security force were present shadowing Gonsalves at the school and apparently he was being shadowed from the time he landed home and most likely will be until he departs- the obvious conclusion therefore is that he is a security risk. I have made it clear to the two policemen that my remarks after the talk were not directed towards them- they had orders which they had to carry out revolting though these may have been, but I wanted to show that the shadowing of Gonsalves was as clumsy an act as the one who issued it, not only was it clumsy but it was disgraceful and shameful. As it turned out the two policemen must have said to themselves that this was a useless exercise because they did not hear what they were sent to hear and on the other hand they must also have said this youngster was not after all a security risk. For the sake of good reasoning what kind of security risk could this student be on such a short Christmas visit to his homeland…”

v) Visitors to the Country Prohibited
The government had a list of persons who were not allowed to visit the country even though many of them had not expressed a desire to do so. The list was published in the April 25, 1970, issue of the Vincentian.

“Twenty DeemedUndesirable Visitors”
“An extraordinary Gazette published last weekend lists the names of twenty persons whom the Government of St. Vincent deems undesirable immigrants or visitors to St. Vincent. They are:- Robert Luther Miller Clarke of Barbados, Michael Sylvester of Grenada, Michael Pollydor of Dominica, Kensington Soanes of Antigua, Stokeley Carmichael of the United States of America, Arthur Hodgson of Bermuda, Roosevelt Browne of Bermuda, Roosevelt Bernard Douglas- also called Rosie Douglas of Dominica, Leonard Wade of Bermuda, Peter David Phillips of Jamaica, Geddes Granger of Trinidad, Peter Josie of St. Lucia, Edward Laurencien – also called Jumo Primus of St.Lucia, David Darbeau of Trinidad, Leroy Butcher of St.Lucia, Sydney King- also called Eusi Kwayana of Guyana, Dr. Walter Rodney of Guyana, Kennedy Frederick also called Omuwati of Grenada, Pat Emmanuel of Trinidad and Clive Nunez of Trinidad…”

vi) Calypsoes, Calypsonians and the Cato Government
One of the things that stand out most in my mind about the Cato regime is the banning of calypsos and by extension the disregard for Calypsonians and the Calypso art form. Many would remember listening on radio to the Calypso finals when at a very critical time when the artist was singing something that was critical of government the radio station would suddenly go off air. This happened with Sheller when his calypso “Big Jobs” was cut off air while he was singing it in defence of his Crown. This was not unique to Sheller. It happened to other calypsonians. De Man Age’s calypso “This Society Needs a Spectacle” was banned from the air waves. The next year he sang one called “Dey Go Ban It” and true to form they did. (To be Continued)

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian