Ebenezer Joshua

Ebenezer Theodore Joshua (23 May 1908 14 March 1991) was a Vincentian politician and the first chief minister of Saint Vincent from 1956 to 1967.

Early life and career

Joshua was born in Kingstown, Saint Vincent, British Windward Islands. As a young man in the 1920s, he went to work on the nearby island of Trinidad. There he became involved in trade unionism with Buzz Butler, and was an official of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union from 1938 until 1950, when he tried unsuccessfully to be elected to the Trinidad legislature.[1] Returning to Saint Vincent, Joshua entered politics in Saint Vincent, and was elected to the island's assembly in 1951.[1] In 1952 he founded the People's Political Party (PPP). Joshua's PPP was a socialist political party whose initiatives included gaining political independence from the United Kingdom and improving working conditions and wages.

Politics

In 1956, upon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gaining increased autonomy, Joshua became chief minister. His PPP saw continued success in subsequent elections. Joshua supported the unsuccessful Federation of the West Indies. In 1964 Joshua discontinued support for the sugar growers, closing the Saint Vincent Sugar Mill as a result of steady losses which had happened for several years.

Joshua attended an initial conference of the Caribbean Food Crop Society held in Barbados to discuss alternative crops and techniques for better productivity for bananas and arrowroot. A misunderstanding of this sequence of circumstance and Vincentian history by American musician Eric von Schmidt became the basis for the hit song "Joshua Gone Barbados". In 1967 the PPP lost their parliamentary majority and Joshua was succeeded by Milton Cato, leader of the more moderate Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party. Joshua remained in parliament, but the PPP began to decline as the conservative New Democratic Party emerged as political competition. In 1979 the PPP lost all parliamentary representation, and the party was dissolved in 1984.

Personal life

In 1980, Joshua became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2] Joshua died in Kingstown, Saint Vincent on 14 March 1991.

The E. T. Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale is named after him.

References

  1. 1 2 "Joshua, Ebenezer Theodore", in Bryan Dyde, Caribbean Companion: The A to Z Reference, Macmillan Caribbean, 1992, p. 92.
  2. 2008 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News) p. 457.
Political offices
Preceded by
position created
Chief Minister of Saint Vincent
19561967
Succeeded by
Milton Cato
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