In the face of widespread public outcry against linking the bloody October 19, 1983 army massacre at Fort George with activities being planned to mark the 50th anniversary of Grenada’s independence, the Congress government of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has done an about turn on the day chosen to kick-off the independence celebrations.

The government had earlier announced that the Golden Jubilee will officially start on October 19, the day 40 years ago that Marxist Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, three Cabinet colleagues and several supporters were killed in a bloody palace coup within the then ruling New Jewel Movement (NJM) that charted the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution.

Speaking at a hurriedly called press conference on Wednesday, Chairperson of the National Organisation Committee (NOC), Dr. Wendy Crawford announced that the date October 19th, 2023 will no longer be designated as the launch of the Golden Jubilee celebrations but instead, the date will be October 31st, 2023.

Dr. Crawford said that the NOC which was entrusted with the responsibility to oversee the planning of a year-long calendar of events commemorating Grenada’s 50 years as an independent nation had decided to simultaneously utilise the newly designated ‘Heroes Day’ on October 19 as the launch event to commence the year-long celebration of Grenada’s Jubilee.

She acknowledged that many Grenadians at home and abroad have expressed their appreciation for the government’s decision to establish October 19 as a national holiday but raised concerns about the decision to merge the independence launch with the events of October 19 and requested a reconsideration of the date.

In response to the concerns, she said the NOC convened with members of the public to listen to their perspectives and recommendations were then taken to Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and his Cabinet which agreed to separate the events.

According to Dr. Crawford, who was an active participant in the Revolutionary Process, government redirected the NOC to move the Independence Day activities to October 31st which allows the event planned for October 19 to receive the national attention it rightfully deserves.

She extended gratitude to the government’s responsiveness and judicious judgment on behalf of the NOC.

She also thanked all those who reached out particularly the family members of the October 19 victims for their objective and professional manner in expressing their views and concerns on the issue.

“As we embark on the critical journey of forging national unity for all Grenadians, this decision underscores the commitment to our shared values and aspirations as a nation,” she delineated.

Prime Minister Bishop was executed on the fort following a bitter feud among radicals and hardliners led by deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard on the issue of Joint Leadership of the ruling party.

Bishop had initially agreed to the proposal but backed away and was later placed under House arrest at his home at Mt Wheldale overlooking the capital city.

On October 19, 1983 the then Foreign Minister Unison Whiteman led a group of protestors into the home of Bishop and freed him from where he was taken to Fort George.

Minutes later, Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart “headache” Layne ordered a convoy of armoured cars to recapture the fort that was swarmed by Bishop and Civilians.

Bishop was recaptured, lined up against a wall on the Top Square of the Fort along with Whiteman, Education Minister Jacqueline Creft, Housing Minister Norris Bain and businessman Evelyn “Brat” Bullen, Evelyn Maitland, and Keith “Pumphead” Hayling and machine gunned to death by a Firing Squad under the command of Lieutenant Callistus “Iman Abdullah” Bernard.

U.S and Caribbean troops landed in Grenada on October 25, 1983 to topple the coup leaders against Bishop, and Coard and several of the Central Committee members who were known to be associated with a small cell group known as OREL were captured and put on trial for the bloody executions on the fort.

Head of the Celebrations Committee, Jackie Alexis told reporters at the press conference that the NOC will now organise its activities around the celebrations of October 19th event separately.

“We (were) always going to be staging an event and we will now be looking at how we do that to mark the occasion with respect and in remembrance and observance of those that we have lost (their lives) on the 19th of October 1983,”

Alexis disclosed that the October 19 event will commence at 9.00 a.m. with an Ecumenical mass at the national stadium at Queen’s Park to be attended by top government officials and will include remarks by family members of the army massacre victims as well as some cultural presentations.

“It will also include the laying of wreaths up at the fort (Fort George). Everybody knows that the fort is currently off-limits because of work taking place up there so a small group of persons will be able to go to the fort to lay their wreaths,” she told reporters.

At 1.00 p.m. there will be a tolling of the bells across the country, church bells will ring out and that will be followed by a minute of silence in memory of those killed on the fort.

Later in the day at 7.00 p.m, the nation is invited to the Carenage for a candlelight gathering and the head of the committee urged Grenadians to come out with their candles for a remembrance gathering.

“Our intention is to share this day as a nation, to remember, to reflect and observe and pay homage to those we would have lost on the 19th and to respect the feelings and emotions of those who survive and are still mourning those losses,” Alexis said.

Member of the NOC Orlando Romain announced that this year they would start the process of consultations for establishing and deciding upon persons who will be named national heroes.

Romain noted that it will be an open consultative process so every Grenadian will have the opportunity to contribute to the decision of the national heroes.

“National Heroes’ Day will be known not just for those on the 19th but all heroes of our country and history of the years gone to recently,” he said.