Manley also played a dominant role in the nation's banana industry. When a local banana grower's group was formed to establish a banana shipping company, he was asked to draft it laws. Out of this, Jamaica Banana Producers Association was formed with the help of his advocacy in the face of stiff opposition from the Boston based United Fruit Company, which then dominated the export business here. It was out of Norman Washington Manley's skillful negotiation with the United Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company, then the two largest multi-nationals in the world that Jamaica Welfare was born.

As he described it "the proposal was that the United Fruit Company would set aside one cent per stem exported from Jamaica to form a fund to be administered by me for the good and welfare of the people of Jamaica with emphasis on the rural people". Manley was Chairman of this organization for ten years. The persons who were recruited in 1938 had to oversee Community projects, cottage industries and educational entertainment at wayside cinemas and concerts to change the quality of life of the Jamaican masses. Rural upgrading was the special emphasis. Being a person from the rural area, Manley was quite sensitive to the needs of the rural fold. He was aware that people in these remote areas also needed an outlet for relaxation and entertainment, and he did all that was in his power to bring this to them and so make life more comfortable. Up to this time, Norman Manley's public involvement had mainly been limited to sports.

Manley's involvement in the political life of the island was brought about by the 1938 riots. About this same time William Alexander Bustamante who was recognized as the "labour leader" had been arrested during the demonstrations and Manley turned to the immediate task of getting him out of jail. In a series of masterful moves, Manley was able to negotiate with the wharf owners, and to persuade the colonial governor to a sympathetic stand, and settled the strikers into accepting a waiting strategy.

The late Honourable Michael Manley former Prime Minister of Jamaica and son of the late National Hero had this to say about his father "I can remember that there was no worker's cause too small for him to be concerned about, or willing to help from the vast store of experience and wisdom that he seemed to carry with him always", He was also remembered by his late son as a symbol of excellence. According to Michael Manley "He never did a shoddy job in his life. Whatever he did, he did with all of himself; somehow, whether you disagreed with him or not, you recognized the stamp of excellence upon every view he expressed, private or public. Upon every speech, whether it was in parliament or to a dozen people at some small rural crossroads. There was nothing cheap about this man".

The late Anglican Bishop of Jamaica the Right Reverend J.C. Swaby had this to say of Norman Washington Manley." His previous brilliant achievements as a barrister now took on a secondary place in his life. He had opted out of the security of the position he had attained in the legal world. Norman Manley had now embarked on an unknown sea. Together with his cousin Alexander Bustamante he espoused the cause of the people of Jamaica. Our nation owes a tremendous delet to Norman Manley for the part that he played so keenly and so nobly in our attainment of Independence, and in our achieving the position we now hold in the world.

It was the Reverend Ashley A. Smith the former president of the Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) who said that "the mane Norman Washington Manley has become a legend not only in Jamaica but throughout the Caribbean and indeed where ever men are engaged in the struggle for freedom, and social justice and the search for national identity".

Illness forced him to quit the House of Representatives and he retired from politics on his birthday July 4, 1969. He died on September 2, 1969 at the age of 76. Later in 1969 Norman Washington Manley was declared a National Hero. His birthplace at Roxborough in Manchester is now a national movement, and a memorial has been erected on the site of his grave in the National Shrine. A life size statue of him stands at North Parade, the International Airport at Palisadoes as well as a school and a Faculty of the University of the West Indies hear his name, and his insignia appears on the five dollar coin.