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West Indies Federation Milestones Timeline
3
West Indies Federation Formation Milestones. Timeline
West Indian Conference 1932
Following the British government’s commission to create a greater unity in the region, the West Indian Conference met in Dominica
1932
Discussions
Discussions
The Caribbean leaders at this conference wanted a constitution for a united Caribbean with elected Assemblies. They also discussed the need for an increase in adult suffrage
Results
The British government opposed the leaders call for a federation and universal adult suffrage throughout the region.
The Moyne Commission and The British Guiana and West Indian Conference
1932
1938
Moyne Commission
Moyne Commission
The Moyne Commission was sent to the region to identify the factors that led to the labour riots that occurred in the 1930s in various territories in the region.
The Commission recognised the desire of the region to form a federation
British Guiana and West Indian Conference
This was a meeting of regional trade union leaders and new politicians. They stressed the desire of the British West Indian territories to form a federation
British Guiana and West Indian Conference
Colonial Welfare and Development Act
1940
1940
Colonial Welfare and Development Act of 1940 occurred as a result of the recommendations of the Moyne Commission.
Map of Barbados
Map
The fund was run by the Development and Welfare Organisation in Barbados.
Work
It contributed £15.5 million to the development of the British territories in the region. The fund was to be used for areas that including social services and research.
Work
Additional Benefits
Benefits
The staff which worked with various territories with their developmental goals individuals who were experienced in affairs of the territories. This proved to be beneficial to the federal government
Caribbean Union Congress of the West Indies and British Guiana.
1945
Attendance
In attendance was important individuals from most of the British West Indian territories including Grantley Adams from Barbados, Hurbert Critchlow from British Guiana, Richard Hart from, Jamaica, Albert Gomes from Trinidad and T. A. Marryshow from Grenada
Important topic at the Conference
. The leaders at this conference showed their interest in creating a federation.
Topic
Montego Bay Conference
1947
The British Secretary, Creech Jones called for the meeting of the political leaders in the British West Indies to discuss plans for a federal union among them in Montego Bay Jamaica in September, 1947.
Results
Discussions during the Conference led to the formation of important bodies to assist in the development of the British West Indies Federation. The Standing Closer Association Committee was formed with the task of drafting a federal constitution based on the Australian model. Regional Economic Committee formed in 1951 with its headquarters in Barbados. This Committee considered the formation of a customs union within the federation. A customs union would allow member states to trade with each other with agreed upon duties on goods and services.
Results
Standing Closer Committee Report or Rance Report, 1949.
The Committee headed by Sir Hubert Rance produced their report in 1949.
1949
Results
Result
The report proposed a constitution for the West Indies Federation. It included the structure of the federal government. The report also dealt with the economic cooperation and funding that would occur with the implementation of the federation.
London Conference of 1953
1953
The London Conference was called to discuss and ratify the Rance report.
The territories of British Honduras and British Guiana attendee as observers because they declined to be a part of the federation
Issues discussed
Issues
The federal government structure, length of term of office, federal finances and movement of individuals within the federation were among the topics discussed during the London Conference of 1953.
Conference on Freedom of Movement 1955.
1955
The issue of migration within the federation was an issue where the individual territories had strong differences of opinion larger and more developed territories like Trinidad wanted to restrict movement of individuals to its country. Barbados Parliament already indicated that free movement of people was essential to a federal unit.
Result
A decision was made during the Conference for the units to control immigration for health and security concerns for the first five years of the federation.
Result
London Conference 1956.
1956
The London Conference of 1956 spent some time discussing the type of customs union, the position of the federal capital, the level of self-government and relationship with Britain and the that would exist with the implementation of the federation. Jamaica was opposed to the removal of duties which composed a large area of its revenue. A commission was implemented to deal with the issue of free trade and taxes.
Development
Development
The Standing Federal Commission headed by the Commissioner of the Colonial Development and Welfare and delegates from the territories was given the responsibility of formulating the final plans for the formation of the federation.
Standing Federation Committee Meeting 1957.
1957
The Committee moved the name of the federation should be the West Indies Federation instead of the British Caribbean Federation that was previously proposed. The Committee viewed the Site Committee preferences for the federal capital Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad. The Committee decided that Trinidad would be the capital of the Federation.
The West Indies (Federation) Order in Council ,1957.
Order in Council
1957
The British government passed the Act which created the West Indies Federation .On 31st July 1957 the British government issued the West Indies (Federation)Order in Council
which established the West Indies Federation .It included the powers of the Federation,the branches of the federal government and the federal government relationship with the territories.
Federal Elections and Inauguration 1958
1958
Federal Elections March 1958.
Elections
The first Federal Elections took place in March 1958.The winning party was the West Indies Federal Labor Party. They got 26 seats. The Prime Minister became Grantley Adams from the WLFP who won a seat in the House of Representatives. The Chairman of the WLFP and influential Eric Williams did not contest the elections. The Opposition was led by Alexander Bustamante of the Democratic Labour Party who won 19 seats but had the most seats in large territories of Jamaica and Trinidad.
Federal Parliament Inauguration 1958.
Inauguration
The Federal Parliament was inaugurated with a ceremony in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad,the Federal Capital on 22nd April, 1958.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Braithwaite, Lloyd. “Progress Toward Federation, 1938—1956.” Social and Economic Studies, vol. 6, no. 2, 1957, pp. 133–84, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27851099. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.
Dookkhan, Isaac. A Post Emancipation History of the West Indies. Longman, 2002.
Dyde, Brian, et al. CSEC History. Book 3: Decolonisation and Development. 3rd ed., Macmillan Education, 2009.
Leventhal, Norman B. “Carte De L'Isle De La Barbade, Avec Une Description Geographique De Cette Isle.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 7 May 2010, https://www.flickr.com/photos/24528911@N05/4586549529.
Accessed on 8th April 2022.