The following are excerpts from speeches made by former Prime Minister Tom Adams.
On Maurice Bishop – November 1980: “It is time that the Government of Grenada understood that the spirit of CARICOM (Caribbean Community) is in the direction of elections … no doubt I am going to be quoted and I do not care.
“Let him (Bishop) hold elections. Let him legitimise himself. Let him put CARICOM in the same position as the European Community, where no government that takes power by military force can remain a member. Let him deal with those problems and all of us will be delighted.”
October 1983: “I was horrified at these brutal and vicious murders – a most vicious act to disfigure the West Indies since the days of slavery. I have had my differences with Maurice Bishop, but they were political differences fought out in the clean area of politics; and I might say that in these last months, I found myself more often agreeing with Maurice Bishop than disagreeing.” – After Maurice Bishop’s death.
On the US Invasion of Grenada – October 1983: “On Monday night at 8:10 p.m. the American Ambassador attended my residence and read out to me a formal note from President Reagan indicating that the United States would accept the invitation of the Organisation of Eastern States and participate in the intervention of Grenada. The intervention proceeded and has been successful.” – Address to the Nation.
On criticism that he allows the US to dictate to him – April 1982: “The United States have never sought to dictate the foreign policy of our country. This is sometimes something very hard to explain and to make those who are of a different ideological bent, understand or believe.”
On the problems of CARICOM – January 1984: “I think we have gone far enough; we really must not let history repeat itself. Nothing must stand in the way of our second attempt at West Indian national development and unity. We must consciously draw back from the brink and make a serious effort to restore the harmony so evident just a few short years ago.”
On the doctors and NHS – March 1984: “I dust my hands of the negotiations. We are prepared for the struggle. There will be a battle. If before the battle lines are drawn, the Barbadian’s genius for compromise can assert itself, so be it.”
On his government’s commitment – January 1985: “I think we can be justly proud. We have brought this country a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Perhaps the first journey we must make is in our hearts. We must have courage and confidence to use the colloquialism of which an old party faithful was fond, we must not always be peeping up under ourselves.” – Address at BLP conference.
On his vision for Barbados – March 1985: “Barbados is becoming a better-off society and the dream of achieving the North American standard of living is not so distant as it may have seemed in 1975 and 1976. We intend, for example to stay in agriculture and to maximise it fully. We will improve the tourist product. Indeed, there is no reason why one, two or three more small islands in the eastern and southern Caribbean cannot achieve that standard of living.” – Interview with Tony Best.