Jerome Teelucksingh
THE OLDER generation will recall the historic moment at the Red House in Port of Spain when the Union Jack was lowered and the red, black and white flag was hoisted, and our country became the 16th nation in the British Commonwealth to gain complete sovereignty.
On August 31, 1962, the headline of the Trinidad Guardian was “Trinidad Now Becomes a Nation.” Dr Eric Williams was praised and seen as a messiah.
But no similar credit was given to Dr Rudranath Capildeo, the mathematician.
Prior to this grand achievement, during April-June 1962, trouble was brewing in Port of Spain and also London, England. It was a one-sided affair in which the Colonial Office seemingly favoured Williams and the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM).
On April 26, 1962, a conference was held at Queen’s Hall to discuss the draft constitution. However, it seemed a farce, because the selected participants at the discussion were frustrated that they had only five minutes to make their input on the inadequacies of this important draft. From this conference, amendments to this crucial document would be taken by a delegation to be discussed at a final conference at Marlborough House in London.
In May 1962, at the opening of the TT Independence Conference at Marlborough House, Capildeo, head of the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP), complained, “I think that a wider measure of agreement would have been achieved if an attempt was made to secure our co-operation from the outset.” This should have been a concern of the British officials who were closely guiding this political evolution.
Capildeo further lamented, “When a joint select committee was belatedly appointed to consider the draft constitution, the government members had already closed their minds and were not disposed to discuss issues, but were determined to defend a draft to which they appeared to be irrevocably committed.”
It seemed that the government was intent on supporting a draft constitution in which the majority ruled the minority.
On June 1, 1962, at the plenary session of the Independence Conference, the DLP’s memorandum stated that the qualification of voters should be defined. However, the PNM was against the return of the ballot box.
On June 3, 1962, the government and opposition delegates clashed verbally on critical issues and there was no compromise. These included delimitation of constituencies, provisions for constitutional amendment, election procedures, and appointments to the Public Service Commission and other bodies.
A report in the Trinidad Guardian of June 4, 1962, revealed, “Dr Capildeo and his party have charged the government party with 'rigging' the December elections and with discrimination against Indians in the public service – charges which government delegates denied.”
On June 6, 1962, after this Independence Conference, the opposition noted, “Government gets everything, the opposition nothing.” On June 7, 1962, the Guardian reported on the disappointment of the opposition delegates, who felt “…the Col
