It’s forty years since the USA invasion of the Caribbean island of Grenada, thereby bringing to an abrupt end the revolution that in four and a half short years had transformed the country and reverberated around the world. (1)

The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation (New JEWEL Movement or NJM) effected a bloodless coupon March 13 1979, ending Prime Minister Eric Gairy’s “ineffective” five-year, post-independent regime. (2) The principles the NJM used as a bedrock for the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) were:

• People’s participation, people’s politics, people’s democracy.
• People’s co-operatives for the collective development of the people.
• Health care based on need.
• Full development of the people’s talents, abilities and culture
• Full control as a people of our own natural resources.
• Employment for all.
• A decent standard of living for every family.
• freedom of expression and religion.
• The liberation of Black and oppressed peoples throughout the world.
• A united people… A new society… A just society. (3)

With the popular and charismatic Prime Minister Maurice Bishop at the helm and a cadre of young revolutionaries, the PRG set about transforming the island. Their achievements in just a few short years are a testament to possibilities awaiting those daring enough to resist the deathly grip of European oppression and imperialism.

A brief overview of some of PRG’s milestones include:

• 300% increase in membership of the National Women’s organisation (http://community-languages.org.uk/grenada-women/)
• 2.1% to 5.5% increase in the economy (1979-1982) against a backdrop of a worldwide recession;
• Transformation from an importer to an exporter of fish; electricity to rural areas for the first time;
• Reduction of unemployment from 49% to 14%;
• Establishing free health care;
• Housing repair scheme that benefited 17,000 families; Halving then abolishing school fees;
• Increase in school leaving exam pass rate from 3% to 32% (1978-1982);
• First new government secondary school built in 100 years;
• Extensive teacher training programme and reduction of illiteracy from 20% to 3%.
• Resumption of work on the Grenada International Airport;
• 35% increase in tourism. (4)

There was also extensive consultation with the people through regular people’s assemblies and zonal council meetings, often attended by ministers and senior officials. (5)

All of this was being done against a backdrop relentless efforts to undermine and destroy the revolution by a hostile neighbour that also happened to be a world superpower – the USA. The regime of Ronald Reagan continued the USA tradition of “killing hope” wherever it surfaced and deemed it at odds with its own national interest. (6)

The USA narrative, was typically couched in terms like freedom and democracy where it regarded the Caribbean island, smaller than the city of Glasgow (but with a population less than every single London borough) as a “threat to the National Security of the United States of America” that “needed to be taught a lesson.” (7)

There is a wealth of material demonstrating that it was a question of when, not if, the USA would invade. It carried out propaganda (which began in earnest within weeks of the new government under the Jimmy Carter administration) and subsequent military manoeuvrers in the region (including the notorious “Operation Amber and the Amberines”) (8)

What was most tragic however, that it was an apparent implosion within the PRG that was used as a pretext for the October 25th Invasion. The implosion took the life of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and several members of the PRG and its cause is still the subject of searing debate even four decades later.

The decision to invade Grenada was taken well before the implosion but the fact that it happened provided the USA with an invaluable propaganda coup, using it as a pretext to launch an attack. The Grenadan army resisted the invading force for six days. (9) But ultimately the remaining leaders were convicted by what is largely regarded as a kangaroo court. (10) Meanwhile, the remains of those slain, including Maurice Bishop, were removed by the USA and remain in there possession. (11)

Consequently, the dominant narrative of the Grenada Revolution is ostensibly the one proffered by the USA, which ironically coincides in significant measure with some of those who regard themselves as ‘anti-imperialist’. The focus tends to be more on who killed Maurice Bishop (with the role of the USA, including in the government implosion, often curiously underplayed) rather than emphasising the gains of the revolution and how they were achieved. The USA has sought to nullify these gains and pressured most of the English speaking Caribbean to support its opposition to the PRG prior to its invasion and support for the invasion subsequent to it. (12)

Yet with recent events in west Afrika (i.e. Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) the example of Grenada could provide invaluable guidance on turn undoubtedly popular coups into truly revolutionary ones – not to mention thost yet to occur. (13)

(1) Tony Martin & Dessima Williams (Eds) (1985) In Nobody’s Backyard – The Grenada Revolution in it’s Own Words: Volume II – Facing The World. The Majority Press. p. 139ff.

(2) Steve Cushion & Dennis Bartholomew (2018) By Our Own Hands: A People’s History of the Grenadian Revolution. Cutlass/Caribbean Labour Solidarity. p. 9

(3) Cushion & Dennis Bartholomew. p. 10

(4) Cushion & Dennis Bartholomew. p. 12-27

(5) Cushion & Dennis Bartholomew. p. 29-32.

(6) William Blum (2002) ] (02/10/18) ‘Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower. Zed Books p.71. https://archive.org/details/WilliamBlumRogueState2002/page/n69

(7) Speech by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, March 10, 1983, reported on Radio Free Grenada and several radio stations in the Caribbean Region.

(8) Maurice Bishop (04/06/83) We Proudly Share the Noble Dreams of Martin and Malcolm. Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.10, no.3, May 2017. http://www.jpanafrican.org/docs/vol10no3/10.3-19-Mbishop.pdf; Richard Audley Vaughan (2021) Four Years of Love: the Grenada Revolution. Spirit of 38 Productions. https://www.d-word.com/documentary/2112-Four-Years-of-Love-the-Grenada-Revolution

(9) Grenadians for the Truth about October 83. p. 51

(10) Grenadians for the Truth about October 83 (2002) A Travesty Of Justice: The Case Of The Grenada 17. Committee To Free The Grenada 17. p. 6. http://grenada-revo-full-story.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Travesty.pdf

(11) Steve Sweeney (20/06/22) Campaigners say conclusive evidence proves US removed body of slain Grenadian PM Maurice Bishop. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/campaigners-say-conclusive-evidence-proves-us-removed-body-slain-grenadian-pm

(12) Juan Williams (02/11/83) Guyana’s Leader Defiant After Grenada Invasion. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/11/02/guyanas-leader-defiant-after-grenada-invasion/594c5775-591d-4e6d-af6e-42bcc9526a32/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.9d41af5621ad; Rich Gibson (25/10/18) Thirty-Five Years On: The Mystery of the Grenada Invasion Remains. https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/10/25/thirty-five-years-on-the-mystery-of-the-grenada-invasion-remains/ Gibson reports that some of protesters demonstrated “under curious banners like “We Love the US.”

(13) Abayomi Azikiwe (22/08/22) Tens of Thousands Pledge to Resist an Imperialist-backed Intervention in Niger. https://www.globalresearch.ca/thousands-pledge-resist-imperialist-backed-intervention-niger/5829774?

So tonight we ask the question:

40 years on: What is the Legacy of the Grenada Revolution?

1) How did the People’s Revolutionary Government achieve so much in so short a time?

2) Why was it a “threat to the National Security of the United States of America” ?

3) Has the USA narrative dominated reflections on the revolution?

4) Could the PRG model be replicated elsewhere?

Our Special Guests:

Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.

Eld. Sis. Valerie Gordon: a teacher by profession was the national coordinator of the literacy programme and the national coordinator of Grenda People’s Revolutionary Government’s Centre for Popular Education( CPE). Her duties included coordinating the work of the CPE in all the parishes; fundraising for the National Technical Commission; planning programme design; developing methodology and pedagogy; and co -authoring the CPE books.

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