NEW JAMAICAN
Issue #13
August 17th 2005.
JAMAICA DIVISION SUPPORTS GOLDING!
URGES CONVENTION TO OVERTURN EXPULSION!
Reprinted from a Letter sent to the Parent Body from Presidents of Jamaica Division.
President-General Redman Battle & July 20th 2005.
Members of the High Executive Council
Parent Body Headquarters
Philadelphia, PA U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Battle,
It is in earnest that we write this letter to offer our support for one of our native sons and a member of this great association. Brother Steven Golding has lent tremendous support to the cause of the UNIA here in Jamaica and has been an inspiration to our division. Since receiving your letter informing us of his expulsion, members of our division have been disheartened by the actions of the Parent Body which by all means appear to be outside the bounds of our hallowed constitution. In presenting the issue to our membership their response was overwhelmingly in support of Brother Golding and so it is our duty as their President to communicate this to you.
Of primary concern to our membership, is the reason for Brother Golding's expulsion. On the charge of misrepresentation, Brother Golding has insisted that this has to do with his actions on behalf of our division to protect the constitutional integrity of the Association. The division wishes to make it absolutely clear that at no time has Brother Golding acted autonomously or out of concert with the division or the directives of the executive. As stated before to you in a previous letter, brother Golding came to us from the New York division in June of 2003, he represented us at convention that year as well as the year following (2004). He informed us of his commission as special representative to the Parent Body in August of 2003 along with Brother Mwariama Kamau, who we met that same year. They were charged with conducting a fact finding mission in regards to the Garvey movement and its varied groups within the island.
In seizing the opportunity to unite these groups and expand our division, the executive asked that Brother Golding act as our Commissioner as he made contact with these groups and initiated a process to bring them into alignment with the association and secure their active membership. The result was the establishment of six parish branches and one chapter as reported by him at the last convention. On the issue of Miss Linda Morowei which Brother Golding has reported accurately to the Parent Body, her disrespect for the charter of this division and the constitution of the association should not be endorsed and supported by the actions of our Parent Body. It is as a result of her uncooperative and disruptive actions that the division had requested that the Parent Body issue a letter warning her that her actions were in violation of the association's constitution and integrity. We are shocked to know that Brother Golding's insistence to see justice done and action carried out on our behalf could have resulted in his expulsion. Furthermore, we would consider it highly inappropriate for the Parent Body to issue a charter to Miss Morowei or anyone within our provincial dominion without prior consultation with us as the only chartered division in the country.
Officers of the Parent Body and members of the association at large, we can not express enough our appreciation for the volume of work that Brother Golding has undertaken and the success that our division has achieved as a result of this. We do not feel that he is being treated fairly or justly rewarded for the sacrifices he has made financially and personally for our division and for the great association. Furthermore, we are disturbed by the fact that accusations and misinterpretations regarding his actions could have been acted upon without first consulting our division to ascertain the truth of these matters. Brother Golding has never shown any disrespect to this office and as a matter of fact he has on numerous occasions defended this office against such occurrences. It is hard for us to believe that he could in anyway be insubordinate to the association which he we know he loves dearly. If he is to be expelled for taking up the mantle of the Red, Black, and Green on our behalf and at our request then let us too bear the burden of his crime even has he has shoulder the burden of our cause with us here.
We urge you to overturn the expulsion of our beloved brother and not throw the monkey wrench of destruction into the cog of our progress! Our membership will not endorse any decision that will tend to retard the growth and progress of the UNIA within our dominion and the expulsion of such dedicated, hardworking, and loyal members such as Brother Golding would tend to do just that. Again we ask you to review the work he has done and the great things we have been able to achieve with his support and guidance. You can not forcibly remove members at will without accurately assessing their contribution, this is not the will of our Founder and as we sit in the seat of the first division to be founded in 1914, we will discharge our duty to protect the legacy of our ancestors.
Fraternally,
Frank Gordon, O.D.
Presdent
Marcus Garvey Memorial Division #454
Kingston, JAMAICA
Enid Courtney
Lady President
Division 454
Kinston,JAMAICA
NEW JAMAICAN Vol.1

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