Informative visit to Busta's museum

Devon Dick, Contributor

Recently, I visited Myrtle Chung, a shut-in member of Boulevard Baptist Church, who lives on Tucker Avenue. She told me that she knew Sir Alexander Bustamante, national hero, who, on occasions, attended the Boulevard Baptist Church.

Busta resided at a house on Tucker Avenue after his detention. This house is now a museum, and on that day on which I visited Chung, I made my maiden visit there. The tour was led by the curator and it was very informative.

I learnt that Busta was not only knighted by the British monarch but received an award which was even higher than knighthood, and the chain, which normally should be returned, is a relic in the museum.

Busta was a fighter for the rights of the worker. There are Gleaner photographs depicting his role in the protests of 1938, which transformed Jamaica's labour relations and catapulted us into a two-party system. In addition, Busta used letters to the editor of The Gleaner to agitate on behalf of the overworked and underpaid workers.

FAMILY TREE

I discovered that Gladys Longbridge was his third wife. She followed on marriages to women from Canada and England.

There is also a family tree which shows that Norman Manley, national hero, was his first cousin. Therefore, Bustamante, the founder of the Jamaica Labour Party, and Manley, the first president of the People's National Party, were cousins. It would be good, if in tribute to these cousins, Comrades and Labourites call each other 'cousin' instead of a Comrade calling a Labourite 'dutty'. This calling of each other cousin would form a bond and friendship between political rivals, perhaps similar to that formed between church members who refer to each other as brother and sister. There would be less tension and political violence.

There are memorabilia concerning Bustamante's wife, including her sewing machine, at which she was adept; and her musical instrument, an organ. On the organ, there is a song book entitled Songs of Joy and Inspiration, written and composed by that underrated Baptist minister, L.P. Moncrieffe.

There is evidence to prove that Bustamante changed his name by deed poll from Clarke to Bustamante. However, no evidence that he travelled to Spain. He was, however, in Panama and United States (US) and did odd jobs in those places.

BUSTAMANTE JOKES

There are so many Bustamante jokes giving the impression that he was a buffoon. However, Bustamante, as the first prime minister of Jamaica, speaking at the Independence celebrations on August 6, 1962, gave a concise and excellent speech. It should be studied and repeated at every Independence celebration. When Jamaica celebrated its 'Jamaica 50', Boulevard Baptist hosted a service to mark that milestone, and Karl Samuda, JLP member of parliament, who knew Bustamante very well, read Busta's speech. This most excellent speech highlighted our motto, 'Out of Many, One People', affirming that Jamaica offers tolerance to the world by the way different races coexist peacefully. This is still an important lesson for a world torn by racial conflicts and wars.

As they did to Bustamante, some Jamaicans try to style Portia Simpson Miller as a buffoon because they do not consider her as part of the intelligentsia. Therefore, the Jamaican media ignored her recent speech delivered at the highly rated Lafayette University, US, who, in her honour, is offering to Jamaicans scholarships covering the full financial needs of the recipients over a four-year study period at Lafayette. This travel brought benefits but very little media coverage outside of the US media.

The story of the life of Bustamante is very informative and can inspire Jamaicans to noble achievements.

P.S. Condolences to the family of Bishop Don Taylor. The last time I saw him was at Boulevard Baptist when he attended our 'Jamaica 50' celebrations, at which members of his steel band were performing.

Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew. He is author of 'The Cross and the Machete', and 'Rebellion to Riot'. Send feedback to columns@ gleanerjm.com.