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11/20/1969 - Barbados. The Politics of Cricket and Cane by Frank J. McDonald

NST UTS O CUqV WO D NOT FOR PUBLICATION FJM I9 Barbadus The Politics Cricket Cane BrSdetown Barbados W Z November Mr Richard H Nolte Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y i0017 Dear M Nolte Barbados island aristocrat Caribbean Perhaps derisive attitude Bar bados sister islands notion tropical counterpart World War II England which makes unique Her inhabltans their England acent natural seratism tradi tional teachezs policemen Caribbean peoples onslder themselves West Indians Rathe Ba clans islanas peple enced unrelentin8 esteem In attitudes elicit mockery West Ini brothes But yever pertbs Ba Maybe level The population ST L CY numbers about people density ranking highest Caribbean There square twice Rhode Island densely populated state United States This particularly significant siders percent island devoted farming ST PETER Speightstown NOR H T NDREW D STR C ST J O S E PH CO JOHN S UT ORGE ST AEL PHILIP STR T COU NC CHRIST CHURC VENEZUELA COLOMBIA Below being Bajan peaker House ssembly S Grantley Adams Barbados politically reactionary indepen states English speaking Caribbean In Guyana Trinidad Jamaica support grows leftist nationalism being sparked radicals University Wes Indies But Barbados ingrained traditionalism advocates radica politics admit little community supprt In statement fortheAmerican State Dep artment Embassy officer socio eonomi situation Barbados stale feseeable futureo Favorable factors U B investment stable honest government committed market economy current conditions United States trade investment likely continue feseeable future The political opposition would appear favorably disposed toward United States interests present government Private industry opposed United Sta investment island traders growing number contacts United States No Barbados provide leadership radical social political change developing Caribbean There political parties organized Barbados Three elected members House Assembly ether In general elections November Prime Minister Errol Barrow Democratic Labour Party DLP Assembly seats The Barbados Labou Party Sir Grantley Aams which control Government seats The Barbados National Party conservative businessmen party secured seats Two other parties which other three managed popular support Most recently organized People Action Movement PAM collection middle class Baan professionals moderate socialists The PAM Eroup contested electon gearing genera election Headed steering committee composed defected major parties Secretary Howard Roberts Errol Barrow campaign manager General Elec tions PAM stresses reform existing political programmes institutions rather political ideas Were elected their policie would differ slightly present Government positions The radical existing political parties Barbados People Pr ogressive Movement PPM The PPM radical PAX group concerned doesn stand chance appealing people island Organized around collective leadership PPM represents closest thine Barbados radical movements Eainin ground throughout Caribbean PPM programmes outlined election campaign recent election Frankly issuing radical programme PPM called reform public housing progran control island financial institutions withdrawal Organization American States The PPM radical because radical point political progress Today political treachery complacency PEOPLE their apparent acceptance human standards think black skulls understand aggressively challenge successive Governments dishing The PPM failed however substantial group leadership discouraged results John Connell young Bridgetown lawyer party organizers explained PPM started political education movement which attempted start political organization We education never organizational think ploughing ocean Connell incidentally finding difficult attract clients after recent political activity thinks Bajan rejects radical policies because traditional fears Communism influence Anglican church general feeling powerlessness The U S Government built thing about Communism affected people similar hysteria Even witch hunting McCarthy times today those change For example garbage collected Just offending groupf tourists resuls Discussing other leftist party PAM Glenroy Straughn PPM chairman there difference between PAM DLP other opposition parties They stand three hundred years political conditioning identity acceptance those facts Straughn Connell stress control island shifting English American interests shift could prevented foresight right programes In Mid while Barbados Independence Conference progress London PPM predicted entry Brbados Organisation American States present would direct control Barbados Finance USA Banks In years obvious First City National Bank America already midst Chase Manhattan Mean while Barbados Shipping H Trading quietly turning Barbados commerce utilities USA interests At opening telephone exchange Barbados Prime Minister behaved record His Master Voice He assurance Government would interfere foreign inves ments Barbados The figure Grantley Adams dominates Opposition Barbados present Government As young lawyer distinguihed middle class family Adams history middle joined subsequently island early struggle union recognition constitutional dvance In heyday movement Adams became forceful personality Barbados political scene He finally became island first Premier years party BLP controlled Government Sir Grantley Adams credited being Father West Indies Federation served first Prime Minister As progressive mould British Labour Party Adams radical control Government He focused accomplished great legislating social welfare programmes In party manifesto these successes recounted Increased Old Age Pensions enlargement Social Welfare Department extension Domestic Training Center workers holidays extension provide Workman Compen sation which provision peaceful picketing programme playing fields through island steps safeguard wages manual workers Nevertheless Adams BLP never really challenged staggering problems unemployment oligarchic economic structure which still dominated plantation system On comtrary BLP accepted argument still national ization reform would create island peasant bringing economic chaos Barbados Instead Adams party concentrated issue constitutional independence safer conventional FJM challenge In regard Adams rewarded efforts Barbados Independence In forthcoming elections BLP course planning regaining political power Many Bajans think quite possible Even radical PPM considers BLP control House Assembly But speculate aging Grantley Adams BLP needs leadership order inspire electorate And better rejuvenated BLP Sir Grantley Tom Adams Thus favored topics speculation these Barbados attitude ability Tom Adams Tom Adams Kennedy figure Barbados Politics A young wealthy lawyer connections Tom Adams appeal younger Bajan liberal fringe BLP while maintained correct older conservative party regulars He therefore acceptable wings BLP Adams himself responds amiably asked Be Prime Minister Barbados I think there competition As position party Adams agrees leftist notions totally accepted BLP A great John Connell PPM valid I agree emotional cannot accomplished The Bajan electorate wouldn accept This conservative country They Bajans right British Labour Party On foreign policy Adams explicit about Organization American States If I Prime Minister could convince party I would leave O A S I membership because political which United States I would recognise Red China United Nations whatever would On economic policies PPM Adams thinks national ization sugar industry womld practical It wouldn The small plots suitable agricultural develop would workable sugar industry Thus crucial iinister Errol W Zzrrow issue Adams comes angels perhaps agreeing father dictum radical stance sugar question political career Prime Minister Errol Barrow command Barbados Government since A pragmatist essentially adminis trator rather ideologue For example Barrow foreign policy tends unpopular ideologically committed Eric Williams particularly Barro supported British invasion Anguilla rejected Williams plans developing regional airline Barrow stressed reasons these policies based practical considerations Barrow domestic programme favors pragmatic Consequently since takin power modernised rather revolutionised economy Barbados For example vital question sugar Prime Minister pressed better management reorganization rather having faced controversial issue ownership control industry Thus despite Barrow purchased faltering estates turned experimental tenant farms oligarchic pattern sugar industry remains unaltered With industrial development tourism situation applies In order ttract foreign capital Barrow offered generous concessions incentives other benefits expatriates which younger critical economists region industrialisa invitation Barrow programme Operation Beehive programme which attracted light industries hotels island And apart Jamaica Puerto Rico Barbados ranks region popular tourist resort On negative however Beehive looks beneficial really Import stuffs other goods leaked foreign exchange brought Barbados through tourism And concessions other benefits pioneer status resulted little returns other employment Barrow efforts For example income which levied Government often evaded expatriate owner managers light industries These people themselves corporate dividends thusavoiding personal income which would provide public revenue But these considerations problem sugar Barrow successor still contend sugar eighty percent island exportable produce agricultural economy Barbados dangerously dependent unstable source income trend continues country headed economic trouble Realising Prime Minister hopes pragmatic approach tourism industrial isation sufficiently diversify economy II Barrow I D C HilSon FJM Of independent states English speaking Caribbean Barbados smallest least endowed While Guyana mineral interior Trinidad Jamaica bauxite Barbados almost exclusively dependent sugar indus practically plantation economy There Cane growers But total account percent total sugar produced Of island total acreage O00 acres under cultivation Sugar accounted percent total export This amounted seven million dollars ECC revenue Barbados A study trend world trade would suggest sugar fading important commodity unless rapidly diversify economy Barbados trouble The entry Britain Common Market nothing enhance prospects sugar major industry country We there spheres economic activity attempt improve economic country These tourism industry Ye spite Barrow optimism about Beehive programme central factor control sugar industry limited generally conservative oligarchy still problem There great diversify agricultural economy island Food livestock priority order improve balance trade cutting large imports stuffs lower domestic prices assist making tourist industry viable alternative Barrow course aware problem Sugar Producers themselves These estate owners stake sugar optimistic about future though agreed least twelve their arable under cultiva still reluctant about livestock diversification This estimate S P A contrasts Barrow Confidence future sugar founded In world consumption sugar totalled million metric In total million Not there phenomenal increase consumption paralleled similar increase production demand price producer thanks reciprocal support agreements stabilising influence international agreements risen cents pound cents world market Under Commonwealth Sugar Agreement Commonwealth Caribbean cushioned against fluctuations guaranteed price which certain until In additibn enjoyed preferential treatment under U S Quota Fears expressed consequences Britain joining E E C repudiating Commonwealth Sugar Agreement abrogated unlikely these developing territories treated harshly indifferently There stake Free World infiltration Cuba Commonwealth Caribbean In spite Sugar Producer Association arguments diversification overwhelming The essential question Agronomists agricultural economists Bishnodat Persaud University Wes Indies argue nature sugar industry uncertainties justify efforts diversify The alternatives supplemental crops however viable Persaud thinks crops livestock offer island alternative warns technical educational economic structural problems involved great The nature these enterprises demanding agricultural knowledge skills manage because inadequate research experimentation strong tradition farming there acute shortage these requirements These considerations apply especially vegetable growing dairying Like cultivation marketing crops poses special problems They perishable seasonal because small internal market gluts develop easily Careful handl required level central marketing organizations usually required attend problems ordination production market requirements gradin packing storage finding export outlets Areas suitable enterprises which encouraged taking account economic agronomic considerations The diversification programme thought terms utilization arginal sugar lands Cotton peanuts these lands vegetables dairying competitive lands proper disposition resources farms require crops replace these lands while maintained poorer lands The point Persaud makes inevitably bound become political question Barbados unlike Guyana Trinidad Its resources particularly employed equitably And although S P A aware continued Market scene Bridgetown After extensive research I Barbados producem finest Caribbean since Mount Gay source splendid Bajan At bottling plant pictured above Mount Gay moved consumer Mount Gay fermenting molasses sugar called Demerara method fermentation molasses diluted water eight gallon wooden It ferments naturally hours until liquid between O proof Transferred storage charred matures until mellow The story delightful taste Rumbullion Devonshire origin meaning tumult source contemporary But another expression devil popular centuries Barbados New England It still Newfoundland today Rum first produced Barbados But association really begins British Navy As consequence tendency quickly introduced British Navy By Samuel Pepys He ordered ratio could undiluted By however altered measure quart water every The admiral issued order always cloak grogram fabric named Old Grog which today refers state drunkeness groggy drink itself By ration ounces eighth which remains today Only British Canadian navies still issued naval personnel Rum other historical significance George Washington officer King George III shipped slave Caribbean return hogshed Jamaican Privateers drank Fifteen chest Yo bottle And though Henry Morgan preferred brandy still acceptable It noted Admiral Nelson shipped But efore arriving England state funeral tapped drunk hands creating another devil called Nelson blood diversification necessary doubtful whether estate owners capable acting terms dimensions required It appears therefore point issue control sugar industry estates considered There considerable doubt whether Barrow Opposition Adams Adams alter status Sport games popular throughout world From first Greek games Mount Olympus contemporary occupation world series world champions sport creative preferred forms entertainment But people English speaking Caribbean cricket Cricket It symbol their social revolution political awakening expression unity dynamic force people West Indies And nowhere cricket played greater skill significance Barbados The origins course Victorian England Dickens Hazlitt First played shaped countryside potters farmers stick passan afternoon cricket appropriated organised English upper classes Subsequently became national cdlture The public schools expegted cricketers first scholars second The universities established their rivalries things English exported colonies Indians New Zealanders West Indians watched gripped bowled small rubber themselves Cricket played eleven Positions silly silly really signify fielders defensiv places around batting There wooden wickets placed yards apart The batsmen taking turns deend wicket Meanwhile defensive bowler employing motiom hurls small wicket The batter prevemt hitting wicket which He tries enough through circle fielders scores Rums batsmem trade places wicket other An either batter strikes wicket opposing player wicket batter running between flies The object battimg enough score oposition fewer match From Bajan beach England playing where captain Gary Sobers practices The golden English cricket stretchedfrom until beginning First World War Playing great cricketer W G Grace father modern Grace everything Batsman fielder innovator genius In cricket great West Indian writer C L R James considers Grace greatest player I greatest player unborn He merely bring inherited Directly indirectly found created He greatest batsman world known creator modern batting greatest where resided genius He general rapid And addition execution equal invention It cannot perform Grace Yet since Grace beginning First World War English cricket decline When Grace played daring attitude player exciting creative Today however prevailing attitude England caution control The slowed bowling defensive players specialists outlast theother rather openly defeat Even Time magazine recently commented state English cricket Unhappily genteel moving rites cricket scant Charm swingers century Britain As result sport throes decorous decay There nevertheless world which still plays cricket style skill Englans Golden Age In Indies every island there thousands small throwing batting Grace On beaches cleared scrub along sunny village streets wickets fashioned bamboo great Evolving distinct their West Indians putting Englishman dying It astyle Grace approved swinging dramatic skilled In international competition West Indies unlike staid cautious English Australians Stalling playing defensively islanders Above teams which represent island populations asolute support crowds player never allowed forget However quiet composed English cricketer finds supporters West Indian players andbowl tense participation crowd Indeed West Indians shift stands practically match themselves shout applaud feats FJH Below W G Grace Frank Worrell Gary Sobers field And heroes islanders consider their cricketers nowhere world better players found Today West Indies dominate world cricket From islands particularly Barbados produced players players eleven sixteen match decisions three Test Series those international competitions In example West Indies dramatically defeated AUstralian people Melbourne cheered In gesture appreciation Australians lined streets Mel bourne cheered West Indian goodbye The cheered Melbourne distinguished group sportsmen But distillation story belongs Frank Worrell captain Gary Sobers destined greatest cricketer since Grace himself Both Barbados captained West Indies black Today Worrell Sobers married acting captain West Indies Test The significance Frank Worrell captaincy first black West Indian inter national competition bring unity which always known carefree individualism In sense black inspired better players themselves All sudden stronger because talent individuals exploited interest their Nor coincidental Worrell appointment captain Of West Indies Test coincided West Indian nationalist independence movements The inevitably linked Gary Sobers other greatest living probably West Indian masses As Trinidadian The three W Barbadians Frank Worrell Everton Weeks Clyde Walcott FJM remember Sobers Baan sighed Sobers Tes Series against EnElish When Sobers Considering insularit islands their ealousy eenimen these remarkable I reard rather politicians creating sense Indian nationalism And above Sobers cricketer provides these islands expression their greaness cricket crusade P erhaps described CoL Ro James Beyond A_ Boundary finest I cricket What cricket cricket West Indians crowding Test bring whole their history future hopes English people conception themselves breathed birth Draket mighty Nelson Shakespeare those constitute national tradi Underdeveloped countries centuries rebuild West Indies To people three W wreckin English batinE consciousness needs Cricket therefore people colonial expression their abilitiest independence cricke pitch their York To Waterloo And ndies above participation people USt white popula reion demonstratin might sectors community fully activated But cricketers anticipated independencemovements anticipate unified potential future Yours Frank McDonald Received New York November