In Love with the People

The Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt persevered in Kingston until 2011.  S. Gene Poore, OP wrote, “The first time I traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, was to participate in a summer program on the grounds of St. Pius X Catholic Church. The program, begun by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt in the mid-80s, was for children who lived in the squatter's settlement called White Wing. I was in Jamaica for a month the first time I went down. I fell in love with the people, especially the children. I was stunned by the poverty, the corruption, and the violence.”

Throughout the 1960’s there was rioting, political demonstrations and civil disobedience.  Manley was elected Prime minister in 1972 and declared democratic socialism in 1974. Manley’s trip to Algiers with Fidel in 1973 and his visit to Cuba in 1975 was viewed with concern by the U.S. and led to mass exodus of brain power and businesses from Jamaica in the late 1970’s.