THE FIRST THREE HUNDRED JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS IN CUBA

                                          FIRST GROUP OF JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS in CUBA.
  Was It lack of work that pushed the first wave of Jamaican migrants (300 in total) to Cuba? These first 300 Jamaicans, did they come to Cuba just to cut cane, as it is said repeatedly generation after generation?
How, when and why did these 300 hundred Jamaicans come to Cuba?
José Eloy Richards Richards, Jamaican descendant and journalist of the Cuban Television Information System, will answer these questions for you. Just  read the article with the following headline:FIRST THREE HUNDRED JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS IN CUBA.



      THE FIRST THREE HUNDRED JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS IN CUBA.

HISTORICAL CONDITIONS IN CUBA THAT HELPED TO OPEN UP DOORS FOR FURTHER JAMAICAN AND OTHER IMMIGRATIONS.

When the United Fruit Company (U. F. Co.) opened up as a sugar producer in 1901 in the island of Cuba, the local industry had hardly begun to reborn from its ashes.
In 1894 the island´s production surpassed one million tons of sugar, but the economic devastation that went along with Cuba´s independence war, (1868-1895), reduced to 25 percent this production and to 50 percent the number of sugar factories. Those few sugar factories still in operation needed serious repairs.
Knowing this preceding history, it is easier this way to trace the United Fruit Company´s history from 1899, with the purchase from the Dumois brothers´ of the best coffee lands in the area of Banes, (in the ancient province of Oriente), in order to convert them into sugar cane plantations.
As an immediate consequence of this, the necessity arose for qualified and skilled work forces, farming laborers and especially cane cutters.
By that time, the United Fruit company had already decided to build a sugar cane factory which , later on, would be called Boston.
The U.F.Co. then decided to hire Jamaican workers with experience in the area of sugar production, construction of railroads, aqueducts and other facilities so as to guarantee the transportation of the final product to the Unites States of America.
At that time, according to what I have gathered form books and newspaper written about this subject, the U.F.Co. was already established in Jamaica and producing sugar. So they had had Jamaicans professionally trained to work in sugar cane factories and in its construction and also in the construction and maintenance of railways and port facilities.
The construction and further exploitation of a new and modern sugar factory (Boston) led also to the importation of larger groups of immigrants from North America, the West Indians (Caribbean), Spaniards, Chinese, and other nationalities who comprised the labor force that handled the productive requirements of the flourishing Cuban sugar industry.
                    
             STATUS OF IMMIGRANTS LABOR FORCE IN CUBA.
 
With the entry of hundreds of immigrants from different continents, followed by merciless exploitation, the status of agricultural labor force in the Island was reduced in such a significant way that only slavery could be worse. That is one of the main reasons why many Cuban workers moved towards other employments where they could receive better wages, and of course, they considered that only slaves should cut cane. In general, the Cubans were against the immigrant labor force in Cuba, it was too low-priced.

FIRST JAMAICANS IN CUBA DIDN´T COME TO CUT CANE AS HISTORY MAY MAKE US BELIEVE.

The first years of the U.F.Co.´s penetration in Cuba (1889-1902), must not be taken as a spontaneous event, there was a logical coincidence with the North American intervention in Cuba, and with the North American governor imposed in Cuba, General Leonard Wood, who authorized the entrance of 300 Jamaicans into Banes. This authorization had one condition: “ as soon as the Jamaicans should fulfill their commitments in the future sugar production crop and its requirements, they were to be sent back to their country”…
This requirement was never accomplished by de U.F.Co., on the contrary, that agreement was violated time and time again. Using the U.F.Co.´s fleet of ships, there was a constant movement of Jamaican workers (illegally) between the two islands, due to their proximity.
As a matter of fact, the U.F.Co. brought the first group of qualified workers from Jamaica two years before this company began to produce sugar in 1901. These immigrants were the roots of the Jamaican descendants in Cuba. Now there is a little more to that.

JAMAICAN PARTICIAPATION IN THE FIRST SUGAR CANE CROP AND SUGAR PRODUCTION OF THE U.F.Co. IN CUBA.

The Boston Sugar cane mil began grinding its first harvest, on February 27th, 1901. It produced eight thousand tons (8000 tons) of sugar in 185 days harvest. In 1902, production rose to nineteen thousand on hundred and forty tons (19,140 tons) of manufactured sugar.
During the 1904 crop, the U.F.Co. had a shortage of 500 workers.
Between 1905 and 1907, Boston´s production capacity was doubled and new work sources appeared with the creation of Sama´s Company and also with the construction of Antilla´s Port and Preston sugar cane mill in another little village.
In 1907, for the first time, the sugar cane factory “Preston” began to produce, even though it was in needs of labor force. Among the laborers that the U.F.Co. began to import for this new sugar industry, were hundreds of Jamaicans and Haitians.
As a result of the increase and establishment of immigrant workers, the population of Banes grew very fast. Especially numerous were the Jamaican families, particularly large in numbers.

WORLD WAR AND ITS EFFECT IN CUBA´S SUGAR PRODUCTION AND THE INCREASE OF JAMAICAN AND OTHER WEST INDIAN IMMIGRATIONS.

The First World War in 1914 affected important sugar beet root areas in Europe, due to the war activities. Thus Cuba was able to occupy the space left by the European sugar production.
Between 1914 and 1917, twenty five new sugar factories entered into operation in Cuba. In 1916 Cuba produced Three million metric tons of sugar that was sold at 4 cents a pound (a very high price for the time).
The 29th of July 1916, the North American company declared to the English Council in Cuba the number of native laborers of English Caribbean colonies that lived in Banes Division ( the number was very much more than was declared officially)
The population was as fallows:
126 men; 233 women and 217 children. In districts and other provinces lived another 693 men, 55 women and 52 children.
According to U.F.Co. census, starting from 1912, the following number of Jamaicans entered Banes:
1912……………….. 709
1913………………..2258
1914………………..1791
1915………………..1834
1916………………..7133
1917………………..7884
1918………………..9184
1919………………..24187
1920………………..27088
1921………………..12469 (My parents came to Cuba around the twenties)
1922………………..4455
1923………………..4455
1924………………..5086
1925………………..4747

THE BRITISH CONSULAR SERVICE IN CUBA AND JAMAICAN SITUATION DURING THE FIRST DECADES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Between 1913 and 1930, labor force used by the U.F.Co. was basically West Indian workers (Caribbean Islands) These workers were exploited threefold: as black, as workers and as immigrants.
In this regard, the situation of the Jamaicans was a bit better that he other West Indians, because the British Consular Service in Cuba was very interested about the situation of its citizens and therefore looked after them. Jamaican Consuls carried out periodical visits to Banes and also requested reports with certain regularity. They also intervened in cases of abuses against their subjects.

THE DECLINING OF SUGAR PRODUCTION IN 1933 AND ITS DIRECT IMPACT ON JAMAICAN AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS.
 
In 1929 sugar production in Cuba rose to 5 million tons. In 1930 it declined to Four million 812 thousand 971 tons. In 1931 it went down to three million 215 thousand 668 tons. In 1932 it continued declining to Two million 683 thousand 462 tons of sugar.
In fact, the decline of sugar production in Cuba in 1933 was caused by the adjustments or systems of quotas imposed by the United States and other competition reasons between the Cuban producers and North American producers.
The declining sugar production caused the Cuban government to issue a decree by which the repatriation of all the unemployed foreigners was ordered as well as those that were in the country illegally. In spite of this decree, the U.F.Co. maintained a certain number or workers inside its properties, among them: 279 Jamaicans who were needed for the following sugar crop.
According to sources found in newspapers, in the Census of 1931(only in the provinces of Oriente and Camagüey) there were 74 thousand 990 Haitians (74 990) and 28 thousand 560 Jamaicans (28 560) involved in sugar cane activities, although it is assured that in fact and at that time, the number of migrants from both countries exceeded 150 thousand persons ( 150 000).

                    RACIAL APARTHEID IN BANES´NEIGHBOURHOOD

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Banes was divided in several communities’ or neighborhoods. The original Cuban population and American community were separated by Banes River Bridge. The American administration took great care in building its residential neighborhood in a way that the existing social difference would be represented and preserved, even by a natural barrier: a river.
The U.F.Co.´s functionaries called the employees of English or North American origin “FIRST CLASS ANGLO SAXON EMPLOYEES”. From thence on, there was an artitocratric and racial separation from the rest of the common workers and from the Cuban people in general.

            FIRST COMMUNITY OF JAMAICAN SETTLERS IN CUBA.

In order to guarantee labor force, the United Fruit Company promoted the construction of a Jamaican community. So, in 1927 a new neighborhood in Banes was built by the U.F.Co., in an area called La Guira. This new neighborhood was named Pueblo Nuevo (New Town).
There a significant number of Jamaican families were gathered under precarious conditions, although they were granted certain preferences with respect to obligations contracted with the British government in Jamaica. So Jamaicans were provided with conditions of life, a little much better than those of the Haitians, Chinese, Europeans and other immigrants.
The U.F.Co. also decided not to charge any rent for the houses given to their Jamaican employees, considering the payments for that concept like a contribution of the tenant to the maintenance of their own new given property. With this clever move, the Company avoided further supervision of Pueblo Nuevo by the Cuban government.

              FIRST PROPERTIES OF JAMAICAN SETTLERS IN CUBA

Sixty one properties of several types were built in the new Jamaican neighborhood in La Guira, Banes: 52 houses, 2 primary schools, a church-school, an exclusive club with a Cricket area, a two story mixed store, a pastoral home and a temple for the members of the Salvation Army. All these facilities were built taking into account the characteristics, way of life and customs of Jamaicans. This was the first time in Cuba´s history that a foreign enterprise ever built a community for his employees, until now.
Descendants of these first Jamaican immigrants in Cuba are still living in Pueblo Nuevo, and some are still living in the same street and in the same houses ( now modified) and with the same number. So in these cases now you will find living at: Third street number 4652, the family Wright; number 4727 the James: number 4729 the Morgans.
On fourth Street number 4640 the Edwards; number 4641 the willomonts; in number 4649 Doffas; number 4652 the Fletchers; in number 4654 the Browns and on fifth Street the Bradshaws.
As the neighborhood of Pueblo Nuevo (New Town) in the community of La Guira was built for Jamaicans, most of the immigrants of that nationality, who arrived later, settled here and continued building their own houses along this area. That is how it became the largest settlement of Jamaicans on the Island of Cuba. This is the reason why at present you can still find Bread Fruit and Ackee trees in the area, not too much thanks to hurricanes.

                    LATEST CENSUS OF JAMAICANS IN BANES(1998)

In 1998, the third generation of Jamaicans in Banes, headed by Mr. William Edwards, founded a Club called “ANGLECARIBBEAN CLUB”(CLUB ANGLOCARIBEÑO), with the objective of retaining Jamaican traditions and culture. This club doesn´t exist anymore, it was closed by the municipal government.
In 1998, according to an up-to-date census, in the municipality of Banes there were three living direct Jamaican immigrants and 446 descendants from the first until the third generation. Of these three immigrants, the last one in passing away (2005) was CLIFFERT HARRIS. When she died, she was over ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD. She left 12 children; 48 grandchildren;78 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren.
SOMETHING CURIOUS.
Pueblo Nuevo in La Guira was the first and only case in Cuba that a foriegn Enterprise or Company( such as the United Fruit company) has built an exclusive neighborhood for immigrants. There is not another similar case in Cuba.
End of the story: This is the how and when Jamaican roots were planted and grew in Cuba. It was in such a manner and in such a time, that we can say for sure that the wealth and prosperity of Cuba is also due to the intelligence, culture, sweat and blood of hundreds of Jamaican families who settled here and made Cuba their own homeland.
Note: The majority of Jamaicans that came to Cuba, after the foundation of Pueblo Nuevo, and moved practically across all the country, had been settled before in Banes, including those that worked on the Naval Base of Guantanamo and other sugar cane factories throughout the provinces of Cuba.
Written by JOSÉ ELOY RICHARDS RICHARDS (Jamaican descendant)
MY ROOTS:
My father Joslyn Richards was born on December 23rd, 1903, in the town of May Pen, Parish of Clarendon. My father´s mother was born in Mandeville in the Parish of Manchester. Mr. Joslyn worked in Banes for the U.F.Co. as a grass cutter and later as a crater at the American Naval Base in Guantanamo, until he left Cuba in the beginning of the sixties of the past century.
My mother, Mary Maude Richards was born the 18th of March, 1902 in the Parish of Portland, in the district of Claverty Cottage in a place called Shady Grove. Her father´s name was Solomon Richards. Her mother´s name was Virginia Richards (maiden name Williams) who resided in Shady Grove, Portland.
Both father and mother left Cuba and settled down in New York. They have passed away.

               WE ARE RELATED WITH GEORGE HEADLY.(CRICKET)
 
I have only one sister alive. Maria Richards Headly. She is my sister on father´s side. She lives here in Havana city too. She is the daughter of the late Mrs. Gwendolyn Headley, sister of George Headly, one of the greatest Jamaican cricket players. Gwendolyn Headly was born the 31st of May 1899, in the Parish of Manchester, in a place called Bearer. She passed away in 1974 in Cuba. She immigrated to our country when she was 19 years old. She had five children, three daughters and two sons. These last two lives in New York, Leonard Richards Headly and Melbourne Richards Headly. The youngest of Gwendolyn´s daughter lives in New York city too.

I am: JOSÉ ELOY RICHARDS RICHARDS
CUBAN TV.JOURNALIST
PHONE: 537- 8790442
E-MAILS: josrichards@ymail.com
Richardsrichards.joseloy@gmail.com
joserr@enet.cu
I am also the cultural promoter and representative of the Artistic and dance company CORPUS SPÍRITU ALMA.