A tale of two houses

Lance Neita, Contributor

The 'Chrismus' breeze that is now blowing across the island is similar to the cold front conditions that Jamaica experienced in December 1962.

It had been a chilly month and it kept most people indoors, including our parliamentarians who spent an inordinate long time wrapping up the final parliamentary session of the year.

The motion which drew tempers in the House on December 11 was one moved by Opposition Leader Norman Manley, who sought to censure the Government for refusing to accept the recently renovated Vale Royal as the officially approved residence for prime ministers.

Bear in mind that it was the People's National Party while in office that had restored the handsome building at a cost of some £58,000.

But during the election hustings of 1962 Bustamante had declared that as prime minister he would never live at Vale Royal and would instead convert it into a maternity home. This set the tone for a hot public debate and much speculation as to the future of Vale Royal depending on who won the election.

Fuel to the fire

To add fuel to the fire, Millard Johnson, leader of the Garvey-based People's Political Party that campaigned as a third party in the elections, castigated Manley for spending money on Vale Royal. "Garvey duppy going tek him," he thundered, "as the house has been finished three months now but Manley can't go there because we will take him out and put him where he belongs after April 10!"

As a footnote and guide to current candidacy, Johnson himself ran a colourful campaign, dressed in a white robe and carrying a white rod. He would arrive at meetings surrounded by crowds burning starlights, announcing "let this starlight burn, let it burn like the stars in the sky so that the people may be free and equal".

The controversy raised its head again after the Jamaica Labour Party victory, with Finance Minister Donald Sangster moving into Vale Royal. Back in the House, Busta teased his cousin Manley, repeating that he would not live at Vale Royal as the expensive renovation had only produced one bedroom and "two coops that cannot even hold my 12 pigeons".

"I will turn it into a maternity home", said Busta.

"Then why did you put poor Sangster there," shot back Manley.

"Because I want him to deliver," came the quick reply.

The tale of the two houses had now taken on a new twist, as Busta continued to live at his Tucker Avenue private residence, with speculation rising that he intended to move into King's House.

All this led up to that stormy debate on a cold December night when Manley moved his censure motion to force the prime minister into Vale Royal.

The leaders jostled with each other in the early stages with Manley suggesting that "perhaps the PM thinks himself too big to occupy the house, but the residence is admirably suited for an ordinary PM".

"I take the strongest objection to being termed an ordinary PM," interjected Busta. "I am not ordinary. I am an outstanding prime minister."

The debate was long and acrimonious with the Opposition maintaining that the Vale Royal occupancy had been a parliamentary stipulation and the Government claiming that they had not been officially informed while in Opposition.

The prime minister stuck to his guns and a new residence, the present Jamaica House, was officially opened on Tuesday, September 8, 1964.

During the construction, the argument was again taken up with Wills Isaacs dramatising an appeal to the prime minister to stop building and "spend the money on the working class".

Isaacs went below the belt when he said further that it was being built for a prime minister who didn't read too much and would not need room for six secretaries.

Busta had the last laugh when he moved in, while Vale Royal became the official residence of finance ministers up to and during Michael Manley's tenure as prime minister.

The tale of two anthems, and the tale of two flags, have already been chronicled. This has been another saga in the incredible doubles games played during our search for national symbols at the dawning of Independence.

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