Rickey Singh: dissent and be damned

Abstract

A side effect of the Grenada crisis, very significant in terms of Caribbean press freedom, was Rickey Singh's resignation as editor of Caribbean Contact and the withdrawal of his Barbados work permit in November 1983. The newspaper appeared in a much truncated form in December. It reappeared in February, apparently determined to retain its independent role and advertising for a new editor. Caribbean Contact, a monthly newspaper, was founded by the Caribbean Conference of Churches in 1973, and Rickey Singh became editor the following year. It is the only pan-Caribbean newspaper, and has been produced in Barbados since 1978. The November issue of Caribbean Contact contained an article by Singh headed ‘Invasion cannot be justified’, criticising the military invasion of Grenada by the United States and some Caribbean nations. It also contained a condemnation of the invasion by the Caribbean Conference of Churches. Immediately the Prime Minister of Barbados — one of the Caribbean nations which requested and facilitated the invasion — withdrew Singh's work permit (Singh is Guyanese) as of 3 December. Then the Grenada Council of Churches, which had at first criticised the invasion, decided after all to support it, so that in turn the Caribbean Conference of Churches had to withdraw its condemnation. So, in mid-November, Singh resigned as editor of Caribbean Contact. George Lamming, one of the leading novelists of the Caribbean, wrote about Singh in the December issue of Caribbean Contact: Singh is rare among the West Indians of his generation who chose with courage and passion and integrity to give his work a specific social function.