The British West Indies Federation formed in 1958 and collapsed in 1962. It aimed to unite the English-speaking Caribbean islands economically and politically as Britain's interest waned after emancipation. However, tensions arose over funding disparities between islands. Jamaica's withdrawal after a 1961 referendum ended the Federation, as it was the main financial contributor. Key reasons for collapse included conflicts over capital site selection, differing political development levels between islands, and larger islands seeking to change the constitution in their favor. The Federation established critical services like the University of the West Indies, but internal disputes over representation and financial contributions ultimately led to its demise after just five years.

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1- CaribbeanStoryBook2
What factors led to the formation and collapse of the British West Indies
Federation between the years 1958-1962?
Mere emancipation was not enough for the Caribbean English speaking islands,
they wanted independence fromBritain their then oppressors. “Arthur Cipriani
was one of the first labour leaders to make the link between self-governmentand
federation”1
this was in the 1920s.
.
The West Indies Federation was a shortlived political union based in the
Caribbean, formed by Caribbean islands the federation began on January 3, 1958
with its capital in Portof Spain Trinidad and Tobago and ended on May 3, 1962.
The planning of the federation began in 1947 when representatives fromeach
territory and colonial office officials went to a conference in Montego Bay
Jamaica. Mostof the islands of the British colony had a lot in common, culturally,
socially, politically, religiously and economically the islands were very similar.
Their cultural, social and religious similarities are because of wherethey come
from, as for their economic and political similarities, those werebased on them
being colonized by Britain. The conference made way for much progress for the

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islands though a lot of the representatives were in favour of the federation some
weren’tone of whombeing Alexander Bustamante. “he feared that it was partof
a British scheme to abandon responsibilities for helping the colonies”2
. The
member states that were in favour of the federation thought that it made no
sensethat they werestill under Britain’s ruling sincethey no longer cared about
the welfareof the colonies because they were no longer greatly contributing to
the country. Britain stopped looking after the Caribbean islands as sugar
production had almost ceased in mostof the colonies and the export of
agricultural products werevery low. Britain’s lack of attention towards the
Caribbean islands was one of the main reason that led to the formation of the
West Indies Federation.
The following objectives are of the federation and are also the reasons for the
formation of the federation:
 To come with ideas to solvetheir social and economic problems as Britain
did not show much interest in the welfareof the colonies after
emancipation, since sugar no longer broughtlarge profits to Britain. After
World War II, therewereshortages of goods which resulted in higher
prices. As such, low wages, greater unemployment and poor social facilities
were wide spread.
 To loosen the grip of foreign control over the economies of the countries.
For example, the majority of fertile lands were under the ownership and
control of foreigners.
 To secure cheaper prices for imports and better prices for export through a
united voice among the member countries.
 To resistthe United States intervention in the affairs of the Caribbean. In
1904 PresidentRooseveltstated that the United States would intervene in
any part of the Americas wherethere was in justiceor attacks on the
sovereignty of democratic and civilized society.
 To achieve independence and self-governing status fromthe mother
country.3
The federation comprised of 10 English speaking member states of the
Caribbean which included: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada,
St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the

3. 4- BarbadosPocketGuide
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Grenadines, Dominica and Montserrat. In the time of the planning of the
federation the Standing Closer Association Committee (SCAC) was formed to
resolveemerging disagreements between member states as well as Britain.
The SCAC made the proposition for the English speaking federation in their
reportin 1949. They accepted the proposal though it was accepted politicians
had doubt aboutthe federation one of whombeing Grantely Adams. Born
April 28, 1898, heattended St. Giles as well as Harrison College in Barbados, he
then went on to Oxford University after winning the BScholarship. Helater
came back and married Grace Throneand later got his son Tom which also
won the BScholarship and became the second Prime minister of Barbados.
During the time of the planning of the federation Adams was the Premier of
Barbados. In the elections for the WIF hebeat Sinanan by two votes making
him the prime minister of the WIF. Adams was presentfromthe beginning of
the planning of the federation, in the 1930’s theCaribbean islands faced a lot
of social and economic based revolutions.
In 1947 Adams represented Clement Paynein an effort to restoreorder to his
country, Adams was sentto England to reportto the secretary of state on the
matter of the riots, Adams reportwas “based on the simple principle that had
there been social changeas opposed to continuous subjection of the masses,
there would havenever been a riot.”4
In Jamaica as well as the rest of Britain's
major island and continental colonies in the Caribbean except for Grenada and
Dominica, the situation was justas bad. "rebellion of 1938 linked the banana
workers of Portland and St. Mary, the sugar workers of Westmoreland, St.
Thomas and Clarendon, the dock workers of Kingston, PortAntonio and
Oracabessa, to forma revolutionary brigadedemanding social change"5
Adams reportto the secretary of state gave him recognition, the riots werehis
motivation as he worked on the unity of workers. Thepocketguide also stated
that “In the mid-1940s Adams along with Hugh WorrellSpringer, were able to
use power and influence due to their membership on the Governor-in-
Executive Committee. His pivotal role in the many key changes throughout
Barbados which later spread to the rest of the Caribbean are numerous; for
example:
• The opportunity for all women to vote on equal terms with men
• The construction of the Deep Water Harbour

4. 6- BarbadosPocketGuide
• The construction of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
• The birth of Erdiston Teacher’s College in 1948
• An increase in old age pensions
• An improvement in the working conditions for shop assistants
• And increase in the public sector wages
• The Barbados Workmen’s Compensation Act”6
Grantely Adams work in his own country regarding the socialconditions of the
islands people is one of the reasons that he was elected to be the president of
the WestIndies Federation. As there was hope that his influence would spread
throughoutthe Caribbean helping the federation to make an impact on the
lives of the people.
During its shortfive years of existence the federation established multiple
governmentservices. Itcreated the West Indies Shipping Servicein 1962, two
ships: The Federal Maple and The Federal Palm weregiven to the shipping
serviceas a gift fromthe Governmentof Canada. They also created the now
University of the West Indies (UWI) which was then referred to as The
University College of the West Indies (UCWI). TheUniversity was established in
1948 with its firstcampus at Mona, Jamaica and its second campus at St.
Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago in 1960.
With the falling of the federation came the Caribbean Meteorology service
(CMS) which was formed in 1963. Itlater became the Caribbean Meteorology
organization (CMO) in 1973. Outof the CMS came the Caribbean Institution of
Meteorology and Hydrology established in 1967. Thefederation had also put I
place The Federal SupremeCourt and The West Indies Regiment.
The Flag of the Federation was used between 1958 and 1962, itwas designed
by Edna Manley and was only flown on commemorativedays. The coat of Arm
was also used in between 1958 and 1962 and also designed originally by Edna
Manley. OneApril 22, 1965 each member issued their own set of
commemorative stamps.

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Despite the many achievements of the shortlived federation it came to an end
in 1962 and the following factors contributed to its failure:
 Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica were called upon to provide eighty-two
percent of the funding for the operating expenses of the federation. This,
they thought, was injustice.
 There were conflicts over issues such as the selection of the capital site. The
federal capital chosen was Chaguaramas, Trinidad. Other member
countries thought that this was not a suitable site since the United States
had a military base there.
 The islands were at varying stages of political development. Trinidad and
Tobago and Jamaica had a more developed political systemthan those of
the other islands. The federation was regarded as stifling their political
progress.
 Distrustby smaller states of larger members, sinceTrinidad and Tobago and
Jamaica proposed to change the constitution of the federation in their own
interest.
 The most competent people who could hold the position of Federal Prime
Minister refused to do so. For example, Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and
Tobago and Mr. Norman Manley of Jamaica, preferred to remain as Head of
Governmentof their respective countries than head the federation.
 Jamaica withdrew fromthe federation, because of a referendumin
September, 1961, in which the majority of the electorate voted againstthe
federation. The led Dr. Eric William fromTrinidad and Tobago to declare
the ‘onefrom ten leaves naught’. Trinidad and Tobago also withdrew from
the federation.

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Jamaica’s withdrawalfromthe federation did not affect them negatively as they
gained independence fromBritain in 1962. WithoutJamaica the federation could
not go on as it was the main contributor. Itis said that it was Bustamante’s
decision to draw the JLP fromthe federation that caused Manley to call for the
referendumto let the people decide. “as Edward Seaga points out in his
biography, sentiments had been building up for secession as early as 1958, from
Adams'threat of retroactive taxation on all the islands, to Trinidad's Dr. Eric
Williams' statement that the richer islands, Jamaica in particular, should subsidies
the poorer islands. This was in 1958 when we wereconsidered "the richer
island"8
. The Jamaican people decided on September 19, 1961 that the island
should look out for and fund the people of its island instead of putting their
money towards thefederation and funding other islands.
Itis quiet sad that the federation came to an end, however with the federation
ending meant that there was room for something else, and with the faults of the
federation being known means that improvements can be made for a new
approach to integration.