Neita

Lady Bustamante's passing on Saturday, July 25 brings down the final curtain on an era during which the unfolding of Jamaica's modern history was shaped by a cast of outstanding personalities who played dynamic roles in the development of the country's modern history.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding describes her as the most enduring icon of our political struggles and as a heroine in her own right, "having been in the front line of the fight to secure and defend the rights of the workers in the 1930's."

The present generation will find it difficult to empathise with the nostalgia and emotion aroused by the death of a 97-year old lady who lived well before their time.

Ironically, Lady Bustamante's back-ground and unassuming nature was such that even herself, at the height of the epic struggles she was involved in, mused that "the folks back home must marvel at the fact that the quiet Sunday School organist from Ashton was in the forefront of a national upheaval, fighting for the underpaid working class and the hungry and the unemployed."

Yet this demure country girl was destined to share with equanimity the same stage dominated by the legendary figures who fought the battles that resulted in the landmark achievements of our political and social history.

Giants of our past

Consider the men and women of that era who strode across the stage side by side with Gladys Longbridge (later Lady Bustamante), and Sir Alexander - people like Norman Manley, William Grant, JAG Smith, Edna Manley, Rudolph Burke, Ken Hill,

A.G. Coombs, Hugh Shearer, Lynden Newland, Thossie Kelly, Wills Isaacs, Clifford Campbell, Florizel Glasspole, Howard Cooke, Noel Nethersole, to name a few, all giants of our past.

Her 97 years was a fascinating life where she was present at every single pivotal movement in the history of Jamaica's modern development.

She walked through burning cane fields with Busta in the 1938 riots, she stood with him before thousands of rioting workers on the waterfront, she marched through the streets of Kingston in defiance of the colonial authorities, and she was an integral part of the formation of the largest trade union in the Caribbean.

Dramatic moments

She was present at the founding of the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), the West Indies Federation, the Referendum that signalled the demise of that union, and the Independence celebrations that hailed the birth of our new nation.

She helped to demolish the barriers to workers' rights during the epic negotiations with the barons of the sugar industry and the shipping association in the 1950s.

Busta's own account of his famous confrontation downtown with the militia when he bared his chest to the levelled bayonet of the police inspector establishes her presence at that dramatic moment when he described repeatedly how he cautioned her during the melee to "get behind Queen Victoria's statue Miss Longbridge and don't move a muscle."

Tumultuous and exciting times

Although living through tumultuous and exciting times she was one of those gentler parts of our history that emerged unscathed by the rumble and tumble of the political forces that so often shook up Jamaica during our evolution towards nationhood.

Lady B's social work during retirement, the care bestowed on her many foster children, and her everlasting interest in the labour movement and national development, made her the well-rounded personality gifted with an inner peace and beauty born out of her lifelong love affair with Jamaica.

She enjoyed instant rapport with workers from all classes, and on a visit to Kaiser Bauxite in 1988 as guest of honour for that company's Year of the Worker celebrations, the highest accolades and the warmest reception from the NWU dominated workforce were reserved for this special lady.

On one occasion during the ceremony a maintenance welder, George Lewis took the microphone to serenade Lady B with the soulful all-time Jamaican ballad, "It's a long time, I haven't seen you, my baby".

Lady Bustamante showed her appreciation and amusement by blowing a kiss to George and the gathering, while laughingly saying to the Kaiser General Manager Robert Honiball, "You know this man should have been on the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour in the 1950s."

We have lost an icon, and a Jamaican woman that has allowed us to lift our heads high anywhere in this world, wherever her name might be called.

Lance Neita is a freelance writer. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com