JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

prominent part in marking the close of the first century after emancipation
and the beginning of a second period as a forward moving people.
The League declared its position in a public statement issued on
August 1, 1934 in which it advocated “industrial reforms as remedy to
economic slavery.” The statement read, At this juncture, the centenary
of the abolition of chattel slavery, we feel it opportune to clear the
grounds and lay the foundations by the establishment of an organisation
such as the St .Kitts Workers League Ltd. for guarding and protecting
the common rights and for the protection of West Indian in general
and the people of St. Kitts-Nevis in particular in the social, political
and economic context and which we pray, by the aid of God, will
continue its uplifting work and be passed on to posterity as an indestructible
bulwark and monument established for the purpose of ‘service’
and when its founders have passed on to the Commonwealth of the
Great Beyond it may continue to perform in a greater measure than at
present the great and noble work embodied in the words of the motto,
“For the good that we can do.”
Centenary Celebrations
Wednesday, the first day of August 1934 was declared a bank holiday
through out the colony of the Leeward Islands by proclamation dated at
Government House, Antigua, on 27 th June of that year. In each of the
Islands a celebration programme was carried out consisting of thanksgiving
services, parades, public meetings, sports exercises, art and craft
exhibitions, outings, etc. To all of these the working class turned out in
large numbers, showing recognition of their common origin and their
zeal in moving forward together into the opening of the second century
as a freed people.
That afternoon all roads in St. Kitts led to Ponds Pasture. Thousands of
persons assembled there to take part in the great industrial display organised
by the St. Kitts Worker League. In the long procession, the
various groups were distinguished by banners and placards denoting
their occupation. These included all classes of employment, from the
professional ranks to the ordinary labourers. There were some twenty
four groups. To the music of two brass bands the parade moved off at
about 3:30 p.m. marching on to Church Street then upwards to Warner
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