The Labour Spokesman Editorial
In January of 1932 there came into being The St. Kitts-Nevis Workers League, later renamed The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party. The organisation arose out of the hardships of the ordinary people, the mistreatment suffered at the hands of the economically powerful rulers of the country, and their determined efforts to keep our people in perpetual subjugation. Members of the working classes had been in continuous struggles with their ‘masters’ in their efforts to forge better lives for themselves and their children. Over the years there had been many clashes, sometimes resulting in physical altercations and the incarceration of protestors. The Portuguese Riots of 1896 was one such occasion, and so too were the Buckley’s Riots of 1926.
The St. Kitts-Nevis Trades And Labour Union was formed consequent to passage of the Trades Union Act of 1939, with the formation meeting taking place at The MIS Hall on Lower Market Street, Basseterre in February 1940. From that time our movement has played the leading role in lifting our nation out of horrible working conditions, out of the depths of economic and social deprivation, terrible living situations, poor health facilities — and in bringing hope and opportunities for the general betterment of our children and the generations to follow.
Among the movement’s most outstanding achievements: by the late 1950s St. Kitts-Nevis had the very unique distinction of being the only country in the world where ALL of its people lived within two miles of a health facility; primary education was made freely available to all at an early stage, and in the late 1960s secondary education was also made freely available to all; the National Provident Fund, then Social Security, the National Bank and its group of companies, are all products of our movement. The Labour Movement also introduced universal adult suffrage into our electoral system, and opened the airwaves starting in 1995.
At ninety, the Labour movement again finds itself out of office but continues to push its purpose, aims and objectives which have been the same over the decades: to work for the betterment of ALL of our people. The movement, at its ninetieth anniversary, is now under new leadership with continuing to uphold the motto: FOR THE GOOD THAT WE CAN DO. A Happy Ninetieth Anniversary!