build democracy The author of the following article spent some time in Grenada in the period preceding the U.S. invasion. It is from the November 10 issue of Internationalen, the paper of the Swedish section of the Fourth International. We have shortened it somewhat for space reasons. Roland ELIASSON
Long before the revolution in March 1979, the New Jewel Movement said that the political system that existed on Grenada should be replaced by another one. In its 1973 manifesto, the NJM said.
"Our objective is to gradually replace the existing political system with a gendemocratic, grass-roots system through which the people in every town and parish can exercise power in their own way, in their own interests, to build a decent future for themselves."
In May 1973 the NJM called a People's Conference on Independence, which demanded that the people should have a say in the political process that was to lead to independence. Some 10,000 people attended the conference [out of a total population of 110,000]. (Grenada was a British colony up to February 7, 1974, when it became independent. It remained in the British Commonwealth.)
On November 4, 1973, the NJM called another People's Congress, which was also attended by 10,000 people. This assembly condemned the dictator, Gairy, for 27 crimes, including corruption and brutality. It demanded that Gairy resign within two weeks or else there would be
Between 1974 and 1976, the NJM broadened its work through public dis-
That led to a lot of people participating in the party's activity at the
The NJM built local support groups in nearly every town and held a number of public meetings across
The NJM also built special structures
- the National Youth Organization (NYO) and the National Women's Organization (NWO).
The movement made progress among the urban workers and the unemployed. The circulation of the party's paper, New Jewel, rose to 10,000 and it became the most widely read publication on the
In 1976 elections were held on Gren-
The NJM formed a coalition with a International Viewpoint 28 November 1983 bourgeois party, under the name of the People's Alliance. Gairy used elections as a means of control, but the NJM thought that it was worth making the attempt to participate in the election. People's Alliance got 48 percent of the vote, despite Gairy's election rigging, and got six out of the fifteen seats in parliament. The NJM could combine its work among the population with work in par-
March 1979, Gairy's methods became more and more brutal. He admired the Pinochet regime in Chile and tried to imitate it. end of 1978, five Grenadians
Since support for the NJM was growing, the persecution increased. The united opposition to Gairy drew a larger and larger proportion of the pop-
From 1978 on, the NJM concentrated on intervening in the unions and trying to activate them. Party members ran for the leadership posts in the most impor-
The NJM also built a new union, the Bankers and General Workers Union, which got broad support despite Gairy's attempt to crush it.
Party members and sympathizers went round the houses and diseussed with their neighbors about Grenada's social and economic problems. The party's support groups met secretly in houses and in backyards to discuss various questions.
The party's members and sympathizers, as well as those of the women's organization and the youth organization, met regularly to discuss and formulate policy and to convince the population that it was necessary to build a new society. The members and sympathizers from these support groups from all oxer the island, who then met in a national assembly. called The National Coordinating Coun cil for Delegates.
In 1978 the NJM broadened its activity and formed Parish Councils, which were to coordinate activities on the local level and at the same time make it possible for members and sympathizers to participate in the discussions and work. The Parish Councils were a rallying point for the support groups in the various
Meetings were held once a month. As the participation in the Parish Council Meetings increased, they were divided up on the basis of zones. Grenada's six parishes were divided into zones including through which could participate in the decision-making
A characteristic or tnis new goverument on Grenada was that the heads of various departments, enterprises, and public institutions had to give an accounting for their actions.
If a council demanded that a certain offcial appear before it, the official in question was obliged to do so. There was no way of getting out of it.
At first these councils were open to party members, sympathizers, and those most devoted to the revolution. Later, in the spring of 1981, they were opened to all those who were for the revolution and not working against it.
At the same time, the party set up parallel structures for the major groups in society - workers, farmers, women,
Questions affecting these sectors were discussed in monthly workers, farmers, womens, and youth parish various Parish Councils, Councils, and mass organizations in the respective parishes were served and coordinated by a committee called the Parish Coordinating Body. the various mass organizations had their own coordinating structures on the parish
In June 1980 the youth organization opened its ranks to all youth. ended the link with the NJM, becoming a mass organization rather than a party
The women's organization underwent a similar development. In May 1980 it decided to open its ranks to "all women who want to see our country develop and go forward and see women play an equal role in this process of development."
In its 1982 congress, the women's organization also ended the link with the New Jewel Movement. Among the reasons cited were the following:
"1) Not all members are sympathizers of the NJM Party; this is a mass organ-
"2) We want to unite all women of all political, religious, and other persuasions (except for counterrevolutionaries). is what a mass organization is. organization cannot be an arm of a party no matter how close it may be to it."
The overthrow of Gairy in 1979 meant a tremendous increase in the participation of the population in various decision-making processes and activities. More and more people took part in the public meetings, as well as in building groups, such as calypso and reggae bands.
The population on Grenada began to realize that they could have an effect on the development of the society. no longer a question of having to vote every once in a while for some party. The people themselves had the possibility every day to have an effect on their own lives. They could play an active role in shaping the economy of the country. Grenada began to develop into a democratic society for the great majority rather than for a small minority.
Unlike most parties and governments in the West, the NJM and the PRG decided in a democratic way on laws and the budget. Two examples can illustrate the confidence the government had in Grenada's people.
Women on Grenada had a hard time getting jobs and were pushed around by the bosses. When they were pregnant, they often lost their jobs. They were simply fired.
The demand began to be raised by the should be guaranteed maternity leave and be able to go back to their jobs after giv-
The government drew up a proposal for a Maternity Leave Law that was sent
It turned out that most people were for the law but the leadership of one union was against it. The government decided that the law should apply to everyone but the members of that union. Very quickly, the members elected a new leadership, and the new leadership
The government could very easily have that the law would apply to everyone. But it did not do that. approach the government showed its con-
Anti-imperialist demonstration in Grenada (DR) with all the problems or offer everyone a chance to speak. The Mini-Zonal Councils covered smaller towns.
The NJM's aim of establishing a new political system began to be put into practice in the summer. People's Assembly was to replace the PRG as the government of the country. In order to build up this assembly, the democratic structures were to be expanded to cover all the population.
The main objective was to get a coun cil for every town and where that was not at least for every two towns. And this council was supposed to elect a town assembly that would carry out the function of an executive. assemblies were then to form Parish
The National Assembly was supposed to be elected from among the representatives of the various town with such notes and other supplementary material as may be appropriate, a final draft Constitution for approval by the People of Grenada in a Referendum."
The Guiding Principles for the co
"(a) The social, economic, and structural transformation of Grenada geared toward a higher standard of living for the working people, the buildof a new and just society, peoples participation and grass roots democracy,
"(b) The widest possible participation by the people in the country's decision-making process and the ministration of affairs of the State and of matters affecting their work and their residential communities...
"(d) Entrenchment of the principle of public accountability including the right
On June 4 the PRG set up a constitu- ‹ of recall."
fidence that the membership would see the advantages of the law and take care of the problem itself.
The decision on the Grenadian budget for 1982 and 1983 was a unique experiment in the history of democracy. For the first time the population in a country took part in the decisions about the sisted of five members and a secretary.
The government chose three of the members, the unions one, and the women's organization, the youth organization, and the small farmers association chose one
The Instrument of Appointment of these Terms of Reference and Guiding Principles was published in the Grenada Government Gazette on August 26, two months before the American invasion.
When the U.S. government and the national economy. The terms of reference of the com- other Caribbean states talk about bringing
The 1983 budget was presented by the finance minister to a meeting of 1,000 delegates from the various mass organizations on February 24. Work groups were set up to discuss various aspects.
All told, 20,000 Grenadians participated in the preparation of the budget that was finally presented on March 17. But that was not all. All the viewpoints, piled so that they could be considered in the continuing discussions on the
In the summer the council structures were developed further. Village Coordinating Bodies (VCB) were set up. These bodies were responsible for taking up the complaints and problems of the population. They were also to be responsible for social development.
The thirty Zonal Councils were also divided up into Mini-Zonal Councils, since the Zonal Councils could not deal mission were the following:
"1. To obtain information on alternative forms of political constitutions and the ways in which political constitutions work in practice in other countries.
"2. To receive and consider written and oral representations as to matters which should be provided for, and the form and structure of, a Constitution for
"3. To receive and consider the views and proposals of all classes, strata and interests of the Grenadian people.
"4. To prepare for public consideration and discusssion a draft Constitution and participate in public and other discussions thereon.
To consider and assess written and oral proposals for improvement or ceived from organisations, groups or in-
"6. To prepare for the Government, democracy to Grenada today, there only one word to describe that - hypoc-
The NJM, the PRG, and the people of Grenada were deprived by the October 25 invasion of the right to determine their
Grenada's future, however, has not yet been determined. What can be said is that the progressive process on Grenada has suffered a disastrous defeat.
However, the 1979 sowed a lot of seeds in the Grenadian earth and among the Grenadian people. From these seeds a grass-roots democracy had begun to grow, a pride in the people, could determine their future.
Let us hope that the fertile soil of Grenada and the lessons and experiences
International Viewpoint 28 November 1983