Dr. Kwame Nantambu

Key Dates in Grenada's People Revolution

Compiled by Dr. Kwame Nantambu
October 24, 2005
  1. On 11 March 1973, the New Jewel Movement (NJM) was formed, primarily through the merger of the Movement for Assemblies of the People (MAP) led by Maurice Bishop and Kenrick Radix and the Joint Endeavour for Welfare, Education and Liberation (JEWEL) led by Unison Whiteman.

  2. In 1974, the NJM "began to develop along Marxist lines, when (it) began to study the theory of scientific socialism." On 21 January 1974, "Bloody Monday", Rupert Bishop, father of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, was brutally shot and killed by Eric Gairy's Royal Police Force when they "unleashed a reign of terror" against innocent, unarmed demonstators, including children, on St.George's Carenage.

  3. On 13 March 1979, while the neo- colonialist , "criminal dictator" Eric Gairy was out of the country, the real revolutionaries of the NJM organized "a successful armed takeover of the True Blue army barracks and of the island's sole radio station." The PRG of Grenada was born.

  4. On 15 June 1979, the PRG proclaimed the principles of "equal pay for equal work" and "maternity leave" and established a Woman's Desk in the Ministry of Education and Social Affairs "to monitor and organize improved rights for our women."

  5. In 1980, the PRG established the Center for Popular Education (CPE) based on the principle that "education is the right of all of our people, the responsibility of our revolution and a key to the development of our country."

  6. In 1981, the PRG launched the National In-Service Teacher Education Programme (NISTEP) as "a fundamental departure from the tradition of teacher education that we have inherited in the English-speaking Caribbean."

  7. In 1982, the PRG declared it as the "Year of Economic Construction."

  8. In 1983, the PRG designated it as the "Year of Academic and Political Education."

  9. On 12 October 1983, Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was placed under house arrest "at the orders of a clique of army, government and party officials organized by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard."

  10. On 19 October 1983, --- Bernard "Coard's Bloody Wednesday"--- (i) Grenadian "demonstrators went to Bishop's residence and managed to free him"; their battle cry was : "No Bishop, No Revo" and (ii) "Bishop and five other central leaders of Grenada's people revolutionary government and the New Jewel Movement (namely, Norris Bain, Jacqueline Creft (who was pregnant), Fitzroy Bain, Unison Whiteman and Vincent Noel) were murdered in cold blood at the orders of Coard's clique." The massacre took place at Fort Rupert.

  11. On 23 October 1983, US President Ronald Reagan "claims" to have received an "urgent, formal request" from five members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) along with Barbados and Jamaica that the United States should join with them in an effort "to restore order and democracy on the island of Grenada." These governments expressed deep concern to the United States about the "perceived" threat to their national security caused by the Cuban military build-up in Grenada.

  12. On 25 October 1983, under the code-name "Operation Urgent Fury", the United States invaded Grenada with thousands of marines and army rangers in collusion with the neo-colonialist, contemporary geo-political house-servants, as in Prime Ministers, of Barbados, Dominica and Jamaica plus OECS members, who collectively sent 300 soldiers to kill fellow Caribbean peoples in Grenada.

A Luta Continua.


Dr. Kwame Nantambu is a part-time lecturer at Cipriani Labour College and University of the West Indies.


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