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Q-tttAtan
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
The end of an era
Our Prime Minister,. Dr. Eric
Eustace Williams, is dead, and with
the rest of the nation, we feel an
unspeakable sense of grief and loss,
We mourn his passing as truly the
Father of our Nation, a man of
destiny who has led us through the
most eventful and momentous era
of our history from colonialism to
independence to republican status.
At Dr. Williams' sudden
departure, the whole fascinating
drama of his political career flashes
across our mind's eye and we be-
come acutely conscious of the fact
that our nation is precisely and
definitely at the end of an era a
quarter century that history must
certainly attribute to Dr. Williams
as his very own.
The forces that mould a nation,
the winds of change blowing acatoss
the colonial world in the mid-50s,
gave Dr. Williams to us almost as
the emergence of a Messiah.
Earlier political movements had
given us a taste for freedom. Other
nations had been emerging out of
the British Empire, including India
and those in Africa. The stage had
been set. And, as if in answer to a
prayer, on stepped Dr. Williams
with all the right qualifications.
A young Trinidadian of humble
origin, a brilliant Oxford scholar
who had written a classic work on
slavery, an orator burning with a
rage against the exploitation of
metropolitan colonial power, Dr.
Williams took hold of our destiny as
if it was his very own, stamping the
next 25 years of our national life
with the force and style of his
personality and leadership.
We leave it to history to make a
final judgment on the Williams
years, but certainly he will remain
the most vital, the most
significant figure of the last two
generations.
In those early turbulent years, he
articulated the dreams, hopes and
aspirations of our people with a
moral conviction that carried all
before it.
He called foi.discipline, tclerance
and production and these because
the watchwords of the emerging-
nation.
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
FORMIDABLE FORCE
Without a doubt, the People's
National Movement, the party
that he founded and led to power in
1956 will continue to be a
formidable force in our political
.affairs. And if there is one legacy of
which Dr. Williams himself would
.have been proud is the democratic
constitution and way of life that he
leaves behind.
Over the years, Dr. Williams has
repeatedly pointed out with an
.obvious sense of personal pride the
fact that we have crossed so many
milestones, we have undergone so
many changes under his leadership
without suffering the traumas and
travails experienced elsewhere.
As the euphoria of the post
independence years faded and the
country began to wrestle with the
harsh problems of economic
survival in an increasingly troubled
world, Dr. Williams' early vision
disappeared and the strength and
confidence of his leadership went
into decline. He himself announced
that he would be taking a 'back
seat'
He became more and more of a
recluse, often leaving his Ministers
in a quandary as to his approach
and stand on a particular matter.
PROBLEMS DEEPEN
We can fairly say that he so
dominated the party and thit
Government that he" failetl
eventually to mobilize the country
and its human resources for the:
tasks at hand.
Problems accumulated and
Q-tttAtan
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
became crises and crises had to
deepen before he would rush in with
amelioratory expedients that were
sometimes incongruous and often
ineffective.
The sudden wealth acquired from
the country's hydro-cahon.
resources in the late 1970s brought
on a new wave of difficulties for Dr.
Williams and his Government.
lboney, according to former
Jamaican Prime Minister Michael
Manley, began to flow through our
fingers "like a dose of salts," yet
the Government seemed unable to
convert it into meaningful and
practical development,.
particularly in the improvement of
outworn public amenities.
Money, as. Dr. Williams himself
observed, was no longer the
problem. Yet the major problem
turned out to be money which,
apart from the horrors of inflation,
created a new hedonism, a
contagious get-rich-quick
syndrome, a ,moral decline, a
malaise in the soul of the nation
which cried out for a new quality of
leadership, a new vision, one which
Dr. Williams seemed strangely re-
luctant or unable to provide.
During the last year or so it was
becoming plain that his own
advancing age was accompanied by
a certain amount of feebleness in
the attention to the country's
multiplying problems. Dissidence
grew. Opposition began to flourish.
Finally, all kinds and conditions
of men and women were forced to
picket Parliament, driven mostly
by frustrations over unresolved
grievances.
In the process, the tempo for the
elections run-up became hotter and
the task of the PNM appeared for
the first time a critical test.
Dr. Williams expired amid these
stirring times; bringing an epoch to
an end.
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
Now Mr. Chambers,his successor,
must weld his party -together,
must somehow clear up the
unfinished business if he is to lead
the party to victory in the
forthcoming elections.
The prophets in this country have
long declaimed that the.PNM will
never outlive Dr. Williams. The
measure of Mr. Chambers' influence
and ability will have to be, first of
all, that he can keep the party
together and on the track. To do-
this he will require the goodwill of
all the citizens of this country even
those who oppose the PNM, for the
first priority in this country at
this time must be stability and
certainty.
We have at the helm President
Clarke, whose easy urbanity has
endeared him to everybody in this
country. His astuteness is avail-
able for the use of the incoming
Prime Minister and whatever his
own inclinations now he should stay
on or be kept on until we are safely
into the next Government.
The manner in which the
President conveyed over radio and
television the shocking news of the
Prime Minister's death spoke
volumes. His mien exuded
confidence amid grief, trust amid
concern, and must have gone very
far towards bestowing upon the
people of the country a sense of
decorous regret and a willingness
to pick up the pieces.
As a people, it is again our turn to
respond to the necessity of history.
We must accept the fact. however,
painful and traumatic at this
stage, that leaders come and go
but the nation, its life, its
progress, the whole complex
process of development must con-
tinue and must be pursued with the
same sense of purpose and
determination.
We firmly endorse then the Presi-
dent's call for a smooth transition.
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
The end of an era
Our Prime Minister; Dr. Eric Eustace Williams, is dead, and with the rest of the nation, we feel an
unspeakable sense of grief and loss. We mourn his passing as truly the Father of our Nation, a man of
destiny who has led us through the most eventful and momentous era of our history from colonialism
to independence to republican status.
At Dr. Williams' sudden departure, the whole fascinating drama of his political career flashes across
our mind's eye and we become acutely conscious of the fact that our nation is precisely and definitely at
the end of an era -a quarter century that history must certainly attribute to Dr. Williams as his very
own.
The forces that mould a nation, the winds of change blowing across the colonial world in the mid-
50s, gave Dr. Williams to us almost as the emergence of a Messiah.
Earlier political movements had given us a taste for freedom. Other nations had been emerging out
of the British Empire, including India and those in Africa. The stage had been set. And, as if in answer to
a prayer, on stepped Dr. Williams with all the right qualifications.
A young Trinidadian of humble origin, a brilliant Oxford scholar who had written a classic work on
slavery, an orator burning with a rage against the exploitation of metropolitan colonial power, Dr.
Williams took hold of our destiny as if it was his very own, stamping the next 25 years of our national life
with the force and style of his personality and leadership.
We leave it to history to make a final judgment on the Williams years, but certainly he will remain
the most vital, the most significant figure of the last two generations.
In those early turbulent years, he articulated the dreams, hopes and aspirations of our people with a
moral conviction that carried all before it.
He called for discipline, tolerance and production and these because (sic) [became] the watchwords
of the emerging nation.
FORMIDABLE FORCE
Without a doubt, the People's National Movement, the party that he founded and led to power in
1956 will continue to be a formidable force in our political affairs. And if there is one legacy of which Dr.
Williams himself would have been proud is the democratic constitution and way of life that he leaves
behind.
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
Over the years, Dr. Williams has repeatedly pointed out with an obvious sense of personal pride the
fact that we have crossed so many milestones, we have undergone so many changes under his
leadership without suffering the traumas and travails experienced elsewhere. As the euphoria of the
post independence years faded and the country began to wrestle with the harsh problems of economic
survival in an increasingly troubled world, Dr. Williams' early vision disappeared and the strength and
confidence of his leadership went into decline. He himself announced that he would be taking a 'back
seat'.
He became more and more of a recluse, often leaving his Ministers in a quandary as to his approach
and stand on a particular matter.
PROBLEMS DEEPEN
We can fairly say that he so dominated the party and the Government that he failed eventually to
mobilise the country and its human resources for the tasks at hand.
Problems accumulated and became crises and crises had to deepen before he would rush in with
amendatory expedients that were sometimes incongruous and often ineffective.
The sudden wealth acquired from the country's hydro-carbon resources in the late 1970s brought
on a new wave of difficulties for Dr. Williams and his Government. Money, according to former
Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley, began to flow through our fingers "like a dose of salts," yet
the Government seemed unable to convert it into meaningful and Practical development, particularly in
the improvement of outworn public amenities.
Money, as Dr. Williams himself observed, was no longer the problem. Yet the major problem turned
out to be money which, apart from the horrors of inflation, created a new hedonism, a contagious get-
rich-quick syndrome, a moral decline, a malaise in the soul of the nation which cried out for a new
quality of leadership, a new vision, one which Dr. Williams seemed strangely reluctant or unable to
provide.
During the last year or so it was becoming plain that his own advancing age was: accompanied by a
certain amount of feebleness in the attention to the country's multiplying problems. Dissidence grew.
Opposition began to flourish. Finally, all kinds and conditions of men and women were forced to picket
Parliament, driven mostly by frustrations over unresolved grievances.
In the process, the tempo for the elections run-up became hotter and the task of the PNM appealed
for the first time a critical test.
Dr. Williams expired amid these stirring times; bringing an epoch to an end.
Trinidad Guardian Reporting 1981 March 31
USED WITH PERMISSION
Now Mr. Chambers, his successor, must weld his party together, must somehow clear up the
unfinished business if he is to lead the party to victory in the forthcoming elections.
The prophets in this country have long declaimed that the PRM will never outlive Dr. Williams. The
measure of Mr. Chambers' influence and ability will have to be, first of all, that he can keep the party
together and on the track. To do this he will require the goodwill of all the citizens of this country even
those who oppose the PNM, for the first priority in this country at this time must be stability and
certainty.
We have at the helm President Clarke, whose easy urbanity has endeared him to everybody in this
country. His astuteness is available for the use of the incoming Prime Minister and whatever his own
inclinations now he should stay on or be kept on until we are safely into the next Government.
The manner in which the President conveyed over radio and television the shocking news of the
Prime Minister's death spoke volumes. His mien exuded confidence amid grief, trust amid concern, and
must have gone very far towards bestowing upon the people of the country a sense of decorous regret
and a willingness to pick up the pieces.
As a people, it is again our turn to respond to the necessity of history. We must accept the fact,
however painful and traumatic at this stage, that leaders come and go but the nation, its life, its
progress, the whole complex process of development must continue and must be pursued with the
same sense of purpose and determination.
We firmly endorse then the President's call for a smooth transition.
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