Tweet

“

Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKN Times) – It was December 1975, and Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, the indomitable Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, had just secured his last political mandate from the people. Fresh off his election victory, Bradshaw sat for an interview that revealed not only his vision for independence but also his uncompromising stance on the simmering issue of Nevisian secession.

Bradshaw, who had campaigned on three central pillars — the retention of sugar lands in public ownership, full independence for St. Kitts and Nevis, and the rejection of secession — spoke with a mix of passion and defiance. “One of the issues on which we won the campaign,” he declared, “was to take the state of St. Kitts-Nevis into independence. What is this going to mean? A very exciting future, of a sort. It means that we are going to have to work harder.”

A New State, A New Struggle

Bradshaw was under no illusions. Independence, he stressed, was not an easy road paved with instant prosperity. “We shall have to press on with our efforts to carry ourselves once again. We need some assistance,” he admitted, noting Britain’s promise of financial help during the early years of nationhood. His words revealed both the fierce determination to achieve sovereignty and the pragmatic awareness that the fledgling state would need support to stand on its own feet.

Nevis, Secession, and Bradshaw’s Line in the Sand

Perhaps the most explosive part of the interview came when the topic turned to Nevis. Bradshaw was blunt, even dismissive, of any notion that Nevis could break away. “St. Kitts and Nevis took full part in the elections,” he reminded his interviewer. “They voted, and there were three questions to be answered. One, the retention of the Sugar Lands in public ownership. Two, independence. And three, secession. The answer to secession was no, and that’s the end of it. There’s no further discussion about secession.”

This categorical dismissal of Nevisian aspirations would haunt Bradshaw’s independence drive. Nevis’ political leadership at the time bristled at the iron-fisted tone, arguing that their island deserved greater autonomy and respect. The bitterness would prove fatal to Bradshaw’s independence efforts, as Nevis withdrew its support, leaving the talks deadlocked.

The Irony of History

Bradshaw’s words in 1975 underscore the irony of St. Kitts and Nevis’ independence journey. He envisioned it, fought for it, and even framed it as the people’s choice — yet his inability to win over Nevis meant he never lived to see the flag raised. It would be Dr. Sir Kennedy A. Simmonds, five years after Bradshaw’s death, who successfully bridged the divide and delivered independence in 1983.

Legacy of Conviction

The 1975 interview captures Bradshaw at the height of his power and conviction — a leader unyielding on secession, unrelenting in his pursuit of independence, and unafraid to tell his people that sovereignty would demand sacrifice and hard work. It also highlights the deep political fault lines that shaped the federation’s destiny.

Bradshaw died in 1978, never able to renew his talks. But his bold words — “no further discussion about secession” — still echo through the halls of history as both a testament to his resolve and a reminder of the political complexities that defined his unfinished dream.

---