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The Black Man’s Government: Marcus Garvey’s People's Political Party 
Friday, 17 August 2007 
What was Jamaica's first political party the Jamaica Labour Party or the People's National Party?
Actually, the answer is Marcus Garvey's People's Political Party (PPP), launched in 1929 at a mass meeting in Cross Roads.
Garveyite and current President of the PPP, Miguel Lorne, explained a little about the social background against which Garvey launched the PPP, as described in the writings of Garvey's second wife Amy Jacques Garvey.
"She pointed out that because of the injustices he and others like him were perennially suffering that he realized that black people had to have political control in order therefore to have full control of the administration of power," said Mr. Lorne.
The People's Political Party was hugely popular with poor black Jamaicans.
But Mr. Lorne explains that the laws at the time hindered the party's development.
"Although he was the most popular black man in Jamaica and in the western hemisphere, he could not win a seat simply because we did not have Universal Adult Sufferage at that time,"
"Only those with property, a certain amount of property, a certain amount of money had the right to vote and naturally they voted for their own kith and kin,"
As a result, the PPP had difficulty in gaining widespread support among voters.
Garvey did represent the Allman Town division in the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation, where he agitated for PPP reforms, but he was not elected to the Legislative Council.
The PPP manifesto advocated significant social proposals such as a minimum wage and eight hour days for workers.
Mr. Lorne points out that Garvey's other proposals still resonate today.
"Strange enough he was talking about free education for secondary schools, he asking for a secondary school to be in each capital at that time and that you have free education. When you watch the manifestos of both parties, they are now battling over that same idea of free education,"
"He was also talking about free health care and setting up health clinics in certain places which could provide free health care service to poor people at the time. Again in 2007 that has become the main political football that is being kicked by either side,"
According to Miguel Lorne, the party has been focusing on community projects like a fishing co-operative in Port Morant and the revival of the Marcus Garvey Progressive Trade Union to agitate for workers rights.
He says this will give the party credibility when it once again decides to face the electorate.
"We think that when we go to the people we must have a track record of success. We can't just go on the usual promises and situations where we say we are better than you without showing you something real,"
"So there are little thing in place that we are building slowly but surely so that when we do go it isn't just another party and another set of hopes and promises but reality," said Mr. Lorne.
Until then, we'll look for them in the whirlwind.
Friday, 17 August 2007 What was Jamaica's first political party the Jamaica Labour Party or the People's National Party?
Actually, the answer is Marcus Garvey's People's Political Party (PPP), launched in 1929 at a mass meeting in Cross Roads.
Garveyite and current President of the PPP, Miguel Lorne, explained a little about the social background against which Garvey launched the PPP, as described in the writings of Garvey's second wife Amy Jacques Garvey.
"She pointed out that because of the injustices he and others like him were perennially suffering that he realized that black people had to have political control in order therefore to have full control of the administration of power," said Mr. Lorne.
The People's Political Party was hugely popular with poor black Jamaicans.
But Mr. Lorne explains that the laws at the time hindered the party's development.
"Although he was the most popular black man in Jamaica and in the western hemisphere, he could not win a seat simply because we did not have Universal Adult Sufferage at that time,"
"Only those with property, a certain amount of property, a certain amount of money had the right to vote and naturally they voted for their own kith and kin,"
As a result, the PPP had difficulty in gaining widespread support among voters.
Garvey did represent the Allman Town division in the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation, where he agitated for PPP reforms, but he was not elected to the Legislative Council.
The PPP manifesto advocated significant social proposals such as a minimum wage and eight hour days for workers.
Mr. Lorne points out that Garvey's other proposals still resonate today.
"Strange enough he was talking about free education for secondary schools, he asking for a secondary school to be in each capital at that time and that you have free education. When you watch the manifestos of both parties, they are now battling over that same idea of free education,"
"He was also talking about free health care and setting up health clinics in certain places which could provide free health care service to poor people at the time. Again in 2007 that has become the main political football that is being kicked by either side,"
According to Miguel Lorne, the party has been focusing on community projects like a fishing co-operative in Port Morant and the revival of the Marcus Garvey Progressive Trade Union to agitate for workers rights.
He says this will give the party credibility when it once again decides to face the electorate.
"We think that when we go to the people we must have a track record of success. We can't just go on the usual promises and situations where we say we are better than you without showing you something real,"
"So there are little thing in place that we are building slowly but surely so that when we do go it isn't just another party and another set of hopes and promises but reality," said Mr. Lorne.
Until then, we'll look for them in the whirlwind.
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