People's Revolutionary Government
Encyclopedia
The People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) was proclaimed on 13 March 1979 after the New Jewel Movement
overthrew the government of Grenada
in a revolution. The government suspended the constitution and ruled by decree until it was removed on 25 October 1983.
(NJM) under the leadership of Maurice Bishop
was the main opposition party in Grenada during the 1970s. In 1979, the party decided to overthrow the government of Eric Gairy
which had ruled the country since independence in 1974. The NJM launched an armed takeover of the radio station, army barracks and various other key locations in Grenada while Gairy was on a trip outside the country. The armed takeover was conducted by the People's Revolutionary Army
(PRA) which had been formed in secret within the NJM and received military training outside the country prior to the revolution.
Maurice Bishop
announced the formation of the PRG over radio. The constitution was suspended and the NJM announced new laws. The PRG organized a cabinet to run the country with Bishop as Prime Minister. All political organizations except for the NJM were banned. Membership in the NJM was afterward tightly controlled.
The PRG established close relations with the government of Cuba
and with Cuban assistance began construction of a large international airport. The PRG also began a systematic plan to build up a large army on the island.
In 1983, internal divisions within the central committee of the PRG occurred. A group led by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
attempted to convince Bishop to enter into a power-sharing agreement with Coard. Eventually Coard placed Bishop under house arrest and took control of the PRG government. The removal of Bishop led to large popular demonstrations in different areas of the country. In the course of one of these demonstrations, Bishop was freed by the crowd. In unclear circumstances Bishop eventually reached the Army Headquarters at Fort Rupert.
An army force from another location was dispatched to Fort Rupert. Fighting broke out between that force and the civilians at Fort Rupert resulting in many deaths. Afterward, Bishop and seven others including several cabinet ministers were rounded up and executed.
After the executions, a new army government called the Revolutionary Military Council, led by General Hudson Austin
was formed to rule the country and the PRG ceased to exist. This government nominally ruled for six days before the US invasion of Grenada
ousted it.
New Jewel Movement
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada...
overthrew the government of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
in a revolution. The government suspended the constitution and ruled by decree until it was removed on 25 October 1983.
History
The New Jewel MovementNew Jewel Movement
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada...
(NJM) under the leadership of Maurice Bishop
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
was the main opposition party in Grenada during the 1970s. In 1979, the party decided to overthrow the government of Eric Gairy
Eric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
which had ruled the country since independence in 1974. The NJM launched an armed takeover of the radio station, army barracks and various other key locations in Grenada while Gairy was on a trip outside the country. The armed takeover was conducted by the People's Revolutionary Army
People's Revolutionary Army (Grenada)
The People’s Revolutionary Army was the military of Grenada between 1979–1983.-History:The army was originally founded in the late 1970s as the National Liberation Army by 12 members of the New Jewel Movement who were known as “The 12 Apostles” including Hudson Austin and 11 others who had gone...
(PRA) which had been formed in secret within the NJM and received military training outside the country prior to the revolution.
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
announced the formation of the PRG over radio. The constitution was suspended and the NJM announced new laws. The PRG organized a cabinet to run the country with Bishop as Prime Minister. All political organizations except for the NJM were banned. Membership in the NJM was afterward tightly controlled.
The PRG established close relations with the government of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and with Cuban assistance began construction of a large international airport. The PRG also began a systematic plan to build up a large army on the island.
In 1983, internal divisions within the central committee of the PRG occurred. A group led by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
Bernard Coard
Winston Bernard Coard was Grenadian Deputy Prime Minister in the People's Revolutionary Government of the New Jewel Movement, who placed Maurice Bishop under house arrest and took control of the government on 14 October 1983....
attempted to convince Bishop to enter into a power-sharing agreement with Coard. Eventually Coard placed Bishop under house arrest and took control of the PRG government. The removal of Bishop led to large popular demonstrations in different areas of the country. In the course of one of these demonstrations, Bishop was freed by the crowd. In unclear circumstances Bishop eventually reached the Army Headquarters at Fort Rupert.
An army force from another location was dispatched to Fort Rupert. Fighting broke out between that force and the civilians at Fort Rupert resulting in many deaths. Afterward, Bishop and seven others including several cabinet ministers were rounded up and executed.
After the executions, a new army government called the Revolutionary Military Council, led by General Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
was formed to rule the country and the PRG ceased to exist. This government nominally ruled for six days before the US invasion of Grenada
Invasion of Grenada
The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was a 1983 United States-led invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 100,000 located north of Venezuela. Triggered by a military coup which had ousted a four-year revolutionary government, the invasion...
ousted it.