In a powerful and deeply personal address, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. E.P. Chet Greene, delivered remarks at the official inauguration of the Cocolos Monument in San Pedro de Macorís, a historic tribute to Eastern Caribbean migrants who played a pivotal role in shaping the Dominican Republic’s social and economic landscape.
Standing before government representatives, dignitaries and members of the local community, Minister Greene opened with a declaration that set the tone for a moving tribute: “Yo soy Cocolo! Mi abuelo llegó aquí en San Pedro de Macorís en 1927 y por lo tanto yo soy nieto de un Cocolo. Yo soy Cocolo!” meaning “I am Cocolo! My grandfather arrived here in San Pedro de Macorís in 1927, so I am the grandson of a Cocolo. I am Cocolo!”
This moment, Greene said, marked not only a historical acknowledgment of the past but a meaningful bridge to a future of deeper regional ties and shared destiny.
The monument, erected in honour of the Cocolos, Caribbean migrants from islands such as Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and others celebrates their vital contributions to the Dominican Republic’s booming sugar industry during the 19th and 20th centuries. Greene praised these men and women for their sacrifice, resilience and for leaving a cultural imprint that still shapes San Pedro de Macorís to this day.
“Today, we honor the more than 7,000 Antiguans and with them the other Eastern Caribbean citizens who left their homes in search of opportunity,” Greene said. “Their toil in the bateyes, their resilience in the face of hardship and their cultural contributions from cricket to cuisine, from music to mutual aid societies have left an indelible mark.”
The ceremony carried special meaning for Greene, whose paternal grandfather, Witson Greene, was among the early Antiguans who migrated to the Dominican Republic for work. Arriving in 1927, his grandfather came as a labourer but ended up settling in San Pedro, starting a family and leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the Greene family’s story.
“Though my family and I are still tracing the final chapters of his story, seeking information on the exact date of his passing and the location of his resting place,” Greene said, “we take solace in knowing that his legacy, like that of all Cocolos, is forever etched into the soul of this country and is being memorialized today.”
The Foreign Minister emphasized that the Cocolos’ story is a shining example of regionalism at work long before the formation of institutions like CARICOM or the OECS.
“This monument is more than stone and metal,” he said. “It is a symbol of regionalism in its purest form… The Cocolos proved that language is no barrier to solidarity, that the Caribbean Sea connects rather than divides.”
Greene urged attendees to reflect on this legacy not only as a moment of remembrance but as a call to action for continued unity in the region. “Let this moment remind us of our mission: One Caribbean. A Caribbean where our diversity is our strength, where our sea is not a boundary but the lifeblood of our unity and where the sacrifices of those who came before us inspire the next generation.”
The Minister expressed sincere gratitude to the Government and people of the Dominican Republic for their recognition of this vital piece of shared history. “Thank you for honoring this history. Thank you for remembering our ancestors. And thank you for reaffirming that their labor was not in vain,” he said.
Greene’s concluding remarks were met with applause as he lifted his voice in celebration of a unified Caribbean: “Viva los Cocolos! Viva la República Dominicana! Viva el Caribe unido! El Caribe vibrante! El Caribe de paz y amor!” When translated means “Long live the Cocolos! Long live the Dominican Republic! Long live the united Caribbean! The vibrant Caribbean! The Caribbean of peace and love”.
The monument now stands as a permanent reminder of the strength, endurance and legacy of the Cocolos, which is a testament to what can be achieved when communities come together across borders, bound by shared purpose and pride.
As Antigua and Barbuda continues to deepen its diplomatic and cultural relationships across the region, events like these serve as poignant reminders of the history that connects us and the responsibility that comes with carrying that legacy forward.
NOTE: Cocolos is a term used in the Dominican Republic to describe the anglophone eastern Caribbean workers who journeyed to the Dominican Republic during the early years of the 20th century to provide labour in the sugar industry.
