Photo 1 – Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves and National Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) and Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (March 6th 2017) – The Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw Institute on Politics, Governance, and Industrial Relations will further advance the development of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis by striving to instill within Kittitians and Nevisians the focus, the insight, and the integrity that sets Robert L. Bradshaw apart and which forever changed the standing and prospects of the people of the twin-island Federation.
Speaking at the ceremony to launch the Institute, National Political Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas told a packed Matlin Moving Conference Centre at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) that it was most gratifying to know that people understand the importance of ensuring that the principles by which Bradshaw lived are discussed, documented and enshrined for all time.
“To know that the skills, the perseverance, and the character that Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw so steadfastly placed at the disposal of these islands and the Caribbean region – will, through the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw Institute live on,” said Dr. Douglas, who is also the Leader of the Opposition.
Dr. Douglas said it is not enough to simply remember Mr. Bradshaw and to simply talk about him.
Photo Caption: Frontal view of the audience at the launch of Robert L. Bradshaw Institute
“We gather because the opportunities and the challenges of the 21st century and beyond demand that we take a deliberate, a structured, and responsible approach to the development of our people, development not in terms of the roads, or buildings, or bridges or his decision to request in the 1960’s that what was then the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority (ECCA), the forerunner of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), be located in St. Kitts and Nevis, but in terms of who and what we are as human beings,” said Dr. Douglas to the large audience which included keynote speaker, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves; officers and parliamentarians representing the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP); the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union (SKNT&LU) and the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, Bradshaw’s daughter, Etsu Bradshaw-Caines and two of his grandchildren as well as family members of National Heroes the Rt. Excellent Sir C. A.. Paul Southwell and the Rt. Excellent Sir Joseph N. France.
He said the Institute will offer instructor-led courses, as well as web-based learning.
Photo Caption: Small section of the audience
“It will offer courses in politics; statistics; public speaking; Caribbean integration and globalization. Courses on the guiding philosophy of Mr. Bradshaw on leadership, money management, the Constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis, the history of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union and the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, now celebrating 85 years of existence,” said Dr. Douglas, who pointed out that industrial relations was a key focus of Mr. Bradshaw’s life.
Photo 4 – (left to right). Mrs. Etsu Bradshaw-Caines and Bradshaw’s grand daughters along with Prime Minister Gonsalves and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Denzil Douglas
“He strove tirelessly to ensure that Kittitians and Nevisians were treated with the respect and the fair play that we deserved in the workplace. In light of this, therefore, the syllabus of the Institute will include such courses as Introduction to Industrial Relations; Negotiations and Mediation; Trade Unionism; Collective Bargaining; Employment Law and Occupational Health & Safety,” said Dr. Douglas, who further noted that Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw devoted his life to ensuring that the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean “would have a clear and positive sense of our worth as human beings.”
“He stressed the importance of work. He stressed the importance of commitment. He stressed the importance of courage. He stressed the importance of being equipped, prepared, and ready to step forward to fully assume our respective responsibilities – whatever they may be. For therein lies the strength of any people. This is the ethos that Robert Llewellyn Institute will uphold,” Dr. Douglas said.
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“This is how we who are living today have chosen to this remarkable leader who set us so securely on the path to Independence. And this is how with respect for self, and respect for each other, we shall march forward to protect and strengthen our proud nation, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Douglas.
Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw was born on 16 September 1916 and served in many capacities including Chief Minister, Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, legislator, and trade unionist.
He also served in the Executive Council in 1946, Minister of Trade and Production for St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in 1956 as a Minister of Finance in the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962 after he was elected to the Federal House of Representatives.
Having won the 1975 general election and receiving the mandate to take St. Kitts and Nevis into Independence, Bradshaw travelled to London in 1977 for independence talks with the United Kingdom government.
Bradshaw, serving as Premier died on 23 May 1978.
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