Labour Unrest Victims of 1938 Remembered

A commemorative civic ceremony was held in Islington, St. Mary on Tuesday, May 30, to honor four citizens of the parish who lost their lives during the labor unrest of 1938.
Caleb Barrett, Archibald Franklin, Thaddeus Smith and Felix McLeggon were killed by police in Islington on Friday, June 3, 1938, when they joined in the nationwide protest against the prevailing economic and social conditions in the country.
The function, which was sponsored by the St. Mary Parish Council in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), was re-introduced after a break of several years.
Among those present were representatives of a number of government and non-governmental organizations, including the St. Mary Parish Council, the JCDC, the Trade Union Movement and a number of schools in the parish.
Addressing the ceremony, Mayor of Port Maria, Councillor Robert Montague said he was happy to see the restoration of the ceremony, as it was of significant historical importance to the people of St. Mary and Jamaica in general.
He noted that some of the issues for which the four men fought still existed in the society today, and exhorted the audience to always remember the efforts of those who served the nation well in the past, and follow their example by improving on the legacy they have left behind.
Mr. Montague emphasized that the struggle of the four men, along with the efforts of others who participated in the protest action of 1938, had all served to make Jamaica a better country.
He appealed to Jamaicans not to take the privileges and rights they currently enjoyed for granted, and to remain vigilant to ensure that they were not infringed by any person or organization.
Also addressing the function was Danny Roberts, Vice President of the National Workers Union and Leonard Richards of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union.Both commended the St. Mary Parish Council and the JCDC for organizing the function and emphasised that the sacrifice made by the four men had played a significant role in guaranteeing the strong system of democracy and community organization existing in the country today.