Gordon House  — the name chosen for Jamaica’s new Legislative Chamber stood as a powerful symbol of justice and national pride. During the ceremony, Governor Sir Kenneth Blackburne reflected that George William Gordon, in whose honour the building was named, would be remembered as a humanitarian who “always urged peaceful means in his efforts to improve conditions for the poor and needy.” Speaker Burnett Coke told the gathering that dedicating the chamber to Gordon was an effort to “clear away the shadows of the past” and inspire those who would sit within its walls to serve with integrity and compassion. 

Published Thursday, October 27, 1960

Governor at colourful opening of new legislature building says

Gordon House bar to dictatorship

No country better prepared for independence than Jamaica

“It is in this Chamber that the will of the people will be expressed, and it is in this Chamber that the people will be protected from dictatorship and other unhappy forms of authoritarian rule.”
Loud applause by members of both the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council signalled this declaration yesterday afternoon by the Governor, Sir Kenneth Blackburne, as he officially declared Gordon House open as the island’s new Legislative Chamber.
Less than a minute later, there was more applause as Sir Kenneth, resplendent in blue uniform and medals, continued: “In a world which is at present sadly disturbed by ideological and racial differences, Jamaica has established a reputation second to none for tolerance, for harmony between peoples of all kinds, and so for happiness and progress.”
But the Governor warned against complacency about this state of affairs, adding that in every community there were always a few people ready and eager to wreck a well-ordered society.
Sir Kenneth was the main speaker at this ceremony, which followed the ceremonial leave-taking by both Chambers of Headquarters House, which had served as the seat of Government in this island for nearly a century. He was preceded by the Hon. Richard Youngman, President of the Legislative Council, and followed by the Hon. Burnett Coke, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Urged Peaceful Means
After referring to some of the unhappy periods of Jamaica’s political history under some of his 63 predecessors, Sir Kenneth made the following comment on the present situation:
“I thank God for the wisdom and statesmanship of those leaders, both in Jamaica and the United Kingdom, who have managed over the years to reach full accord about the future of this island so that Jamaica can go forward to independence in happiness rather than in bitterness, and with the confidence gained from many years of experience of the British democratic system. In this unhappy world of today, there can be no country stepping forward into independence with a better foundation of hard work behind it and with greater hopes for prosperity and progress in the future.”

Referring to George William Gordon’s political life, Sir Kenneth commented: “It is as a humanitarian that he will be remembered — perhaps — but always urging peaceful means in his efforts to improve conditions for the poor and needy. It is right that his name should be associated with this Chamber and so provide inspiration for those who will sit in it.”
Speaking before Sir Kenneth, the Hon. R. W. Youngman, in a speech which some politicians regarded as inappropriate, shared that the British parliamentary system insofar as the right of people to attend legislature sessions was concerned and went on to remark om Headquarters House:
“I leave that building with a feeling of deep satisfaction, for it has proved the most inconvenient Chamber that any Government could be called upon to conduct public business in. Headquarters House has not one redeeming feature.”
The Speaker, the Hon. Burnett Coke, in black and chrome robes and wig, said that in naming the new Chamber after Gordon, “we seek to clear away the shadows of the past, to correct — if we can — the wrong impression we have of this great one hundred years ago. We of this generation would uncover our heads and remove the shoes from off our feet and pay highest tribute to his last mortal remains.”
Mr. Coke, as had the Governor earlier, praised Mr. Glasspole, Leader of the House, for his work in directing the progress and arrangements for the new building.
Earlier, there had been meetings of both the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives at Headquarters House, where members of both Chambers made leave-taking speeches. Just before these two short meetings, the Premier, the Hon. Norman Manley, inspected a parade of national organisations comprising the Jamaica Constabulary, the Army and Air Cadet Force, the Boy Scouts, the Boys’ Brigade, the Girl Guides, and the Girls’ Guildry.

Fanfare of Trumpets
This parade lent sparkle and colour to the ceremonies as did the Police Band marching and counter-marching, the procession of the Judiciary and members of the Legislature from the old Chamber to the new, and the smartly turned-out guard of honour mounted by the West India Regiment, which was inspected by the Governor just before he entered Gordon House.
A lively crowd thronged the sidewalks and vantage points on nearby premises with zest. Amidst exuberance and laughter, they cheered their favourites or booed their political adversaries.
After the procession, the Bishop of Jamaica, the Rt. Rev. Percival Gibson, said the dedicatory prayers. The speeches by Mr. Youngman, Sir Kenneth, and Mr. Coke followed, and at the end, there was a fanfare of trumpets as the Governor prepared to leave. The procession then left the Chamber in the same order in which it had entered, and the audience dispersed.
The various galleries for distinguished guests and other visitors were colourful with fashion and alive with representatives of all leading sectors of public, professional, and commercial life.
Both Chambers were brilliant with light as the Jamaica Film Unit trained floodlights on the legislators and kept a continuous record of the proceedings. By means of special equipment supplied for the occasion, people waiting in Gordon House for the opening ceremony were able to follow the speeches in the old Chamber, and those outside Gordon House later were able to follow the proceedings inside.

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