MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Even as current and former political leaders here continue to pay tribute to stalwart Dean Peart, there is a proposal for the renaming of the Beverly Green area in Battersea, a mile north of the Mandeville town centre, in honour of the Peart family dynasty.

The announcement was made by Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips during a candlelight vigil last Wednesday in Cecil Charlton Park as part of ceremonial activities honouring the life and legacy of Dean Peart, affectionately called Deanie, who died at age 77 on July 12.

“Just to announce that myself and Councillor Andrew Smith [People’s National Party, New Green Division] have approached His Worship the Mayor [Donovan Mitchell], because we spoke about the contribution of the Peart family to the politics of Manchester, but in particular to north-west Manchester [through] Ernest Peart and Dean Alexander Peart,” Phillips said.

Peart’s brother Michael Peart also served in the parish as Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern.

Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips speaking during a candlelight vigil on Wednesday in Cecil Charlton Park as part of ceremonial activities honouring the life and legacy of Dean Peart.

According to Phillips, “Their roots are firmly in the community of Battersea and currently we are upgrading the infrastructure in Beverly Green, Battersea, and seeing what we could do to honour the Peart family, we had a conversation with the mayor and Councillor Smith will be carrying that resolution so that we can name the main street in Battersea after the Peart family, it will be an $85-million upgraded road and that road will be named after the Peart family. I think it is due time something in Manchester carries the Peart name”.

Former Mayor of Mandeville Brenda Ramsay said Dean Peart was passionate about integrity and hard work.

“He was an honourable man… The statue of the man is not just about his imposing height, but also his many significant achievements which impacted the lives of so many in the society and for which he earned respect,” she said.

“As someone who I knew before he assumed the office of mayor, I was not surprised when he assumed that responsibility. I had every confidence that he would be an exemplary leader, because of his integrity, his forthrightness and his capacity for hard work,” she added.

According to Ramsay, “Peart was impatient with poor performance and didn’t accept excuses for non-implementation of work. He would say, ‘Nuh tell me why it nuh done, just go get it done.’… He was not one to mince his words and would boldly confront you with whatever he had to say in his own inevitable style, which was in language you could not misinterpret.”

The entrance to Beverly Green in Battersea off New Green Road in Mandeville which is proposed to be renamed in honour of the Peart dynasty. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

Former councillor and Member of Parliament for Manchester Northern Eastern Calvin Lyn, who served alongside Peart in the Manchester Parish Council, took a journey down memory lane in paying tribute.

“I will put my vehicle in reverse and reminisce to think back to 1972,” he said, evoking applause.

“That was when I first campaigned publicly for the People’s National Party. Yes, of course, we know the history. Michael Manley won Government for the first time and Ernest Peart was MP for north-west and minister of government. Young Dean Peart was also on the team. From then on I could describe Deanie as a rebel for a cause. He was so committed. He had a passion for the PNP,” said Lyn.

He recounted when he and Peart were handcuffed during a protest inside the parish council chamber in 1985.

Roadwork is ongoing in Battersea, Mandeville. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

“In 1981 we started the rebuilding programme of the PNP… In 1985 after we didn’t contest the bogus [election] of 1983, we carried out a national strike on the labour party led by Eddie. Dean and myself were handcuffed at the council chamber done there. Policeman came to me after, ‘Mr Lyn, where is the handcuff?’ Me seh, ‘Handcuff? I was handcuffed?’ I am glad they freed me, so that I could go home,” he said, evoking laughter.

Lyn said Peart was devoted to the people of Manchester North Western.

“In 1986 when the parish council was called, we swept the councils since we didn’t contest 1983, we didn’t have anybody in Parliament with a voice of the party. The NEC [National Executive Council] told us that all of us who are prospective candidates for the constituency should take a parish council seat and win it, so I took my own, Christiana Division, and Deanie took one in north-west and we were victorious. We had a voice, because we were in the council until 1989, February 9, when the sun shone on us. We whipped them, Michael Manley, prime minister again, 45 to 15; I can’t forget that. I can describe Comrade Dean Peart as a warrior, a stalwart, a committed servant, not only for the party, but for the people,” said Lyn.

— Kasey Williams