On May 29, 2022, Grenadians commemorate the 78th birthday of Maurice Bishop, the leader of the revolutionary movement who peacefully overthrew the regime of Eric Gairy (1974-1979) and became Prime Minister between 1979 and 1983.

RELATED:

The United States deployed its “urgent fury” against Grenada in 1983

A law graduate from the University of London, Bishop founded the Movement for People’s Assemblies (MAP) party in 1972, which he merged with other left-wing organizations to form the New Jewel Movement (MNJ) and overthrew Gairy.

As Prime Minister, Bishop promoted policies such as the establishment of free education, the construction of schools and the development of massive literacy campaigns, thanks to which more than 2,500 Grenadians learned to read and to write.

In addition to repealing anti-labour laws that prevented workers from receiving business profits, Bishop legalized unions and granted social organizations the right to mobilize for peace.

To ensure the political participation of the Grenadian people, Bishop created village and zonal councils, in which citizens raised their concerns with the authorities and validated bills. He also developed the national fishing fleet to guarantee food sovereignty.

The Bishop administration granted farmers ownership of the land they worked on and allowed them to organize into cooperatives to increase agricultural production.

With Cuba’s support, he also strengthened the national primary health care system and began construction of an international airport in the city of Punta Salinas.

Bishop also supported revolutionary and liberating movements in Latin America, Africa and Asia, joined his country in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and strengthened relations with Cuba and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR ).

In October 1983, a group of military officers staged a plot to force Bishop to resign or agree to share power with Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard. The revolutionary leader was then deposed and placed under house arrest, but he was freed by the people who took to the streets. Hours later, however, he was murdered by a four-man firing squad.

“Maurice Bishop was born on this day. He was a Grenadian revolutionary who believed in black liberation and communism. So the United States supported his overthrow and assassination, then invaded Grenada to protect his killings. C That’s how American hegemony works,” writer Kamau Franklin recalled.