Bill Text: NY J01545 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commending Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique upon the occasion of its 50th Anniversary of Independence

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-01-09 - ADOPTED [J01545 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01545-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1545

BY: Senator PERSAUD

        COMMENDING  Grenada  upon the occasion of its 50th
        Anniversary of Independence

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute  to
those  of  true purpose and worthy accomplishment who foster a spirit of
community and service and, simultaneously, work diligently  to  preserve
their rich cultural heritage; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commend   Grenada   upon   the  occasion  of  its  50th  Anniversary  of
Independence; and

  WHEREAS, The State of Grenada  consists  of  three  islands-Grenada,
Carriacou  and  Petite  Martinique  which  form  the southern end of the
Windward Islands; with  a  population  over  100,000,  it  lies  between
Trinidad  and  Tobago to the south and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to
the north in the Eastern Caribbean;  it  is  also  100  miles  north  of
Venezuela and 158 miles southwest of Barbados; and

  WHEREAS,  Formerly colonized for many years, first by the French and
then by the British, the islands of Grenada still retain traces of these
European influences in their culture, architecture and place names;  its
capital,  St. George's, is located on the southwest coast of Grenada and
is the seat of government and the main commercial center; and

  WHEREAS, Before the 14th Century, the Carib  Indians  who  displaced
the earlier population of Arawak Indians settled in Grenada; Christopher
Columbus,  during  his  third voyage to the new world in 1498, sited the
island and named it Concepcion; and

  WHEREAS, The origin of the name "Grenada" is  ambiguous  but  it  is
likely  that  Spanish sailors renamed the island for the City of Granada
in Spain; the French then adapted Granada to Grenade,  and  the  British
followed suit, changing Grenade to Grenada; and

  WHEREAS,  European  settlement  was slow to follow due to the fierce
resistance of the warlike Carib Indians; the island remained uncolonized
for more than 150 years although Britain and France fought for  control;
the  French gained control of the island in 1672, and held onto it until
the British successfully invaded the island in  1762  during  the  Seven
Years' War and acquired Grenada by the Treaty of Paris in 1763; although
the  French regained control in 1779, the island was restored to Britain
in 1783 by the Treaty of Versailles; and

  WHEREAS, During the 18th  Century,  the  British  established  sugar
plantations  and  slave  labor was brought in from Africa to work on the
estates; natural disasters in the late 18th century destroyed the  sugar
fields  and  paved  the  way for the introduction of other crops; cacao,
cotton, nutmeg and other valuable spices  were  introduced  and  Grenada
assumed a new importance to European traders; and

  WHEREAS, Slavery was outlawed in 1834, at which the slave population
had   reached   24,000;  national  political  consciousness  took  shape
throughout the labor movement and Grenada joined the Federation  of  the
West Indies in 1958; and

  WHEREAS,  When the Federation was dissolved in 1962, Grenada evolved
first into an Associated State with internal  self-government  in  1967;
Grenada's   independence   was   attained  in  1974,  and  it  became  a
constitutional monarchy, with a Prime Minister and Queen Elizabeth II as
Head of State, represented by the Governor General; and

  WHEREAS, Through their long and sustained commitment to freedom, the
people of Grenada have so heroically  advanced  that  spirit  of  united
purpose and shared concern which is the unalterable manifestation of our
shared humanity; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend  Grenada  upon  the  occasion  of  its   50th   Anniversary   of
Independence; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to H.E. Dame Ceceile  LaGrenade,  GMCMG,OBE,  PhD,  Governor
General  of  Grenada;  The  Honorable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of
Grenada; Ambassador Yolande Y. Smith, Consulate General of New York; and
the Grenada Cultural Festival Group.