Celebrations in anticipation of Grenada’s 50^th anniversary of Independence are heightening as the Spice Isle prepares to mark the occasion on February 7^th.

It is a defining moment for an island whose early days of being a sovereign state were mired by political strife and tension.

Your Caribbean Guide takes you through five pivotal moments in Grenada’s post-independence history that have shaped the social and political reality of the island, even to this day.

(Photo courtesy the Grenada National Museum.)

Grenada Becomes An Independent State (1974)

On February 7^th, 1974, seven years after the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) took office in August 1967, Grenada would become the ninth Caribbean country to gain Independence from colonial rule. (Haiti was the first Caribbean nation to gain full Independence, officially cutting ties with France on January 1^st, 1804).

The British Colonial Union Jack flag was lowered on Fort George with Grenada’s national flag hoisted in its place, solidifying the nation’s stand-alone identity.

Eric Gairy, a trade unionist by profession, was sworn in as Grenada’s first Prime Minister, having been the leader of GULP which he founded back in 1950.

In his Independence Day address to the Parliament at York House, Prime Minister Gairy, often described as a radical leader, declared to onlookers, “We are now completely free, liberated, independent. In spite of a wicked, malicious, obstructive, destructive minority of noise-making self-publicists, God has heard our prayers. God has been merciful. God has triumphed.”

YCG Tid-Bit: The 1974 Independence celebration was observed by candlelight as workers of the local electricity company were on strike at the time.

Gairy’s Government Is Overthrown In Bloodless Coup (1979)

Prime Minister Gairy’s leadership was constantly met with criticism and opposition; one of the main accusations levelled against him was that he used members of the private army, widely known as the Mongoose Gang to intimidate his political opponents.

The GULP’s Parliamentary majority being significantly reduced following a 1976 election.

What followed was the beginning of a series of events that, without a doubt, changed the trajectory of the country’s history.

On March 3, 1979, just five years into his tenure as Prime Minister, Gairy was on an official trip to New York to deliver an address to the United Nations when the New JEWEL Movement  (also known as The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation) staged a bloodless coup, naming leader Maurice Bishop as the new Prime Minister under the People’s Revolutionary Government.

YCG Tid-Bit: Though this article looks at post-Independence occurrences in Grenada, it is important to highlight two main events which preceded Independence to understand what fuelled the tensions that continued post-February 7, 1974. On November 18, 1973, in an event known as Bloody Sunday, six members of the NJM were badly beaten and tortured for their stance against the then government.  Months later on January 21, 1974, also known as Bloody Monday, Rupert Bishop, the father of NJM leader Maurice Bishop was murdered during peaceful demonstrations, galvanizing further support for the NJM. 

The Assassination Of Maurice Bishop (1983)

As the new Prime Minister of Grenada, Maurice Bishop made efforts to reinstate some stability in the nation, operating on strong socialist principles- much to the disapproval of Western nations.

His government established close ties with Cuba and had even begun receiving aid to help with stabilization efforts and economic security. Bishop and Cuba’s Fidel Castro enjoyed quite a close professional relationship.

YCG Tid-Bit: The New JEWEL movement was heavily influenced by the revolutionary political climate in Cuba in the 70s. Fidel Castro led the armed uprising that overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959, and continued as the leader until 2008.

Bishop’s rule as Prime Minister came to an abrupt and dismal end on October 19, 1983, when he was assassinated during a coup orchestrated by one of his deputies, Bernard Coard.

Fifteen other people, including Bishop’s wife, then Minister of Education Jacqueline Creft, were also killed in the coup.

The US Invades Grenada (1983)

On the dawn of October 25, 1983, six days after the assassination of Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and 15 of his companions, tensions would only deepen for the island as the United States staged an invasion. While the US led the military intervention, dubbed Operation Urgent Fury, they were supported by a coalition of six Caribbean nations.

The move was widely criticized as a blatant disregard for Grenada’s sovereignty and was even condemned by the Queen, though US President Ronald Regan attempted to justify the move by saying he was to protect American students in Grenada.

The invasion lasted for three days and resulted in the appointment of an interim government, with a general election held the following year in 1984.

YCG Tid-Bit: Nineteen US fighters were killed in the invasion with 150 wounded out of the roughly 7,000 American soldiers who were involved in the operation. Contrastingly, 45 Grenadians were killed and 337 were wounded of the 1,500 fighters. 

As for Eric Gairy, he remained in exile in the United States, returning to Grenada after Maurice Bishop’s assassination and the invasion of the US.

Upon his return to Grenada, Gairy sought to regain leadership of the country, immediately beginning campaigning for the 1984 general election. The population loudly rejected him, however, with his party managing to secure only one Parliamentary seat.

There were two other unsuccessful attempts to return to office in 1990 and 1995; Eric Gairy subsequently died in Grande Anse on August 23rd 1997, at age 75.

The Impact Of Natural Disasters (2004, 2005)

Apart from era-defining political moments, two main natural disaster events had long-lasting effects on the social and socio-economic reality of Grenadians.

The passage of Hurricane Ivan, a category 4 hurricane on September 7^th, 2004, remains Grenada’s worst hurricane to this day.

The natural disaster resulted in at least 37 casualties, while 90% of homes and other infrastructure were destroyed, including the official residences of both the Governor General and the Prime Minister.

At the time, the island was home to roughly 100,000 people (today’s population is an estimated 125,440).

Damaged infrastructure meant the island’s jails were also compromised, resulting in prisoners escaping custody. Then Prime Minister Keith Mitchell confirmed that among the escapees were some of the 17 people who had been serving life sentences for killings during the 1983 coup.

The island’s second-largest hospital was also almost completely destroyed, contributing to a public health crisis.

YCG Tid-Bit: An assessment of the disaster put the cost of the damages at more than US$900 million, more than twice the country’s GDP. By October 2004, Grenada was able to raise US$150 million toward reconstruction, mainly in funding from the World Bank.

On July 14^th, 2005, while still recovering from the immense damages caused by Ivan, Grenada was hit by Category 5 Hurricane Emily which made landfall as a Category 1 storm.

There was one reported casualty, with several crops and infrastructure damaged as a result of the disaster.

To our Grenadian readers, Happy Independence Day! The strength of the Caribbean is sustained only through the advancement and stability of each individual nation. We wish you many more years of continued growth.