And, from women in politics…to workers unions and politics.
Students of history will know that the labour movement and the nationalist movement, which spawned the PUP, are inextricably bound.
And that's what makes a new book from Nick Pollard so interesting.
It's called, "Understanding The Role Of The Christian Trade Unions In the Making Of Modern Belize."
And while the title may sound like just a drab recounting of the genesis of the Trade Union movement, in fact, it is a fascinating examination of the undercurrents that shaped the nationalist movement and modern Belize.
The book was launched yesterday and he told us about it this afternoon:..
Jules Vasquez
"What is this book, the story about? What time span is included in it and what are the events that it looks at?"
Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Ok, the time span is from 1961 after hurricane Hattie until 1969 - July 1969. That is the area where Nick Pollard Senior, reached his most powerful position in the trade union movement and as I put it, when he met his waterloo in 1969."
"The story develops around an event that took place in Belmopan when the British government in cooperation with the Belize government signed a contract to build Belmopan. What happened, Belize had its worst strike, now this is information that Belizeans don't know. Belize had its worst strike in 1969, which lasted 26 days and the information that unfolds around it, brings to light the divide that existed between Anglican unions and Christian unions."
Jules Vasquez
"Was the union movement and the nationalist movement and the PUP therefore, were those inextricably intertwined?"
Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"They were, they were one body it was almost like saying they were the Holy Spirit, three persons in one God. They were very much entwined as one body."
Jules Vasquez
"So the electoral strength of the PUP early on, my understanding always was that, it was based on the fact that the PUP basically controlled the unions."
Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Well put it this way, when the PUP was formed on September 29th 1950, there was a meeting in April 1950 when they took over Betson union. When they took over the union, there was no PUP there was a people's committee. So they had no strength, there was nobody, just a name and that's way they needed the union. When they took over the union in April of 1950, they took over that was 6,000 strong, Gallon Jug, Public Works, the water front, even Woods Bakery was part of the union. One of the best buns used to come from Woods Bakery and good bread. This is how they were able to immediately have a strength behind them and this is how they were able to quickly win their first adult suffrage election in 1954. If Nick Pollard had formed a labor party in 1959, he would have defeated George Price."
Jules Vasquez
"So why didn't he?"
Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Because he was too bitter, he was too concentrated on fighting Price after the split in 1958. There was a bitter split in 1958."
Jules Vasquez
"A split between?"
Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Nick Pollard and George Price which hasn't been written about that's in The Jaws of Politics next year."
The book is sells for thirty dollars and is available at Brodies. His next book, "the Jaws Of Politics" is set for publication next year.
He says this one is intended for students at secondary and tertiary levels and for trade union activists, so that they can learn the lessons of history.
Visit www.nickpollard.org
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