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JUNCTION, St Elizabeth - OPPOSITION People's National Party (PNP) caretaker for the Southfield Division Lilieth Clacken has called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to apologise for what she described as crimes against Rastafarians at Coral Gardens, St James in 1963.
"I am asking Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party in general, out of principle, to apologise to the Rastafari community for the crime that was committed in Coral Gardens and to stop [behaving as though it's] a joke business," Clacken, a Rastafarian, told a PNP mass meeting in Junction Tuesday night.
She was referring to an incident on Holy Thursday of April 1963 when, according to newspaper reports from the period, eight people including three Rastafarians and two policemen were killed in a clash related to land use.
The incident led to widespread suppression of the then youthful Rastafari movement at a time when the JLP held political power and that party's founder and National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante served as Jamaica's first prime minister.
Clacken took umbrage to what she said was a recent reference by Holness to a "Bustamante Rasta man".
Clacken suggested the reference by Holness amounted to an insult to all Rastas.
She contrasted what she suggested was a discriminatory position taken by Bustamante against Rastas to that of his cousin Michael Manley, who served as prime minister and leader of the PNP a decade later.
"I don t want Andrew to behave like this is any joke business because we (Rastafari) don't forget, and at the same time we don't forget what Michael Manley did for Rastafari people in this country and black people in general," said Clacken.
"Any time I see a Rastafari wearing a green band (JLP colours) I know say im don't know im history...," she declared.
Rastafarians have always contended that they were the wronged party in the Coral Gardens incident and that the Jamaican State has a responsibility to apologise to them for persection on the day and in subsequent years.
Clacken is to challenge the JLP's Gregory Myers for the Southfield Division whenever local government elections are called. Myers is the son of incumbent councillor Shirley Myers who has served notice of retirement from active politics.
Tuesday night's meeting followed a PNP tour of SE St Elizabeth. Businessman Richard Parchment is to contest the seat on behalf of the Opposition party, challenging the JLP's Member of Parliament Frank Witter.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1fwNDNu6s
"I am asking Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party in general, out of principle, to apologise to the Rastafari community for the crime that was committed in Coral Gardens and to stop [behaving as though it's] a joke business," Clacken, a Rastafarian, told a PNP mass meeting in Junction Tuesday night.
She was referring to an incident on Holy Thursday of April 1963 when, according to newspaper reports from the period, eight people including three Rastafarians and two policemen were killed in a clash related to land use.
The incident led to widespread suppression of the then youthful Rastafari movement at a time when the JLP held political power and that party's founder and National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante served as Jamaica's first prime minister.
Clacken took umbrage to what she said was a recent reference by Holness to a "Bustamante Rasta man".
Clacken suggested the reference by Holness amounted to an insult to all Rastas.
She contrasted what she suggested was a discriminatory position taken by Bustamante against Rastas to that of his cousin Michael Manley, who served as prime minister and leader of the PNP a decade later.
"I don t want Andrew to behave like this is any joke business because we (Rastafari) don't forget, and at the same time we don't forget what Michael Manley did for Rastafari people in this country and black people in general," said Clacken.
"Any time I see a Rastafari wearing a green band (JLP colours) I know say im don't know im history...," she declared.
Rastafarians have always contended that they were the wronged party in the Coral Gardens incident and that the Jamaican State has a responsibility to apologise to them for persection on the day and in subsequent years.
Clacken is to challenge the JLP's Gregory Myers for the Southfield Division whenever local government elections are called. Myers is the son of incumbent councillor Shirley Myers who has served notice of retirement from active politics.
Tuesday night's meeting followed a PNP tour of SE St Elizabeth. Businessman Richard Parchment is to contest the seat on behalf of the Opposition party, challenging the JLP's Member of Parliament Frank Witter.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1fwNDNu6s
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