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THE MOYNE COMMISSION 1938

The Moyne Commission was a Royal Commission representing the British
Government. The Commission was appointed in August 1938 to investigate social
and economic conditions and related matters in the colonies and to make
recommendations. Some of its members included Walter Edward, Lord Moyne
(Chairman), Sir Walter Citrine, and Frank Engledow. The Commission had a total
of 10 members.
The investigation including the compilation of facts took 15 months between August
1938 to November 1939. The investigation was carried out by: oral and written
evidence from individuals and groups, on the spot investigations of conditions in
housing, agriculture, hospitals, schools, prisons, factories, docks, orphanages, and
land settlements.
The Findings of the Moyne Commission
The Commission found that the problems of the West Indies were economic with
severe depression in industry, thus expressing itself in widespread unemployment in
rural and urban areas, and in weak public finances which made governments unable
to take remedial action to improve conditions. Social services were inadequate,
education required more and better trained teachers, accommodation and
equipment, improvements in health for more sufficient food supplies, balanced and
nutritious and the need to prevent rather than cure diseases through housing and
sanitation.
Social and Economic Recommendations of the Moyne Commission
Strengthening of Trade Unions
Trade unions in the British West Indies lacked essential powers. They were not
legally recognized and governments and employers were hostile towards them. The
Commission recommended peaceful picketing and protection against actions
brought for damage, noting that British Guiana was the only territory with such
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protection in 1938. It encouraged the recognition of trade unions in both public and
private sector and urged trade unions to register. It noted the lack of trade unions for
agricultural workers and they needed them most.
The Commission believed that trade unions were ineffective because their leaders
were inexperienced. It recommended that labour leaders should be sent to England
for training in industrial relations and negotiations. It stressed that labour leaders be
democratically elected and responsible to their members. It also recommended that
the colonies should set up workmen’s compensation schemes for injury suffered at
work under certain conditions, holidays with pay and severance pay if a worker lost
his job because his employer went out of business. There should be factory
inspectors to ensure that workplaces were safe and healthy.
Labour Departments
The Moyne Commission recommended that colonial governments should have
labour departments to regulate wages, gather statistics, inspect protective laws,
register trade unions, audit accounts and settle disputes. Hence, the Jamaican
Labour Department was set up in 1939.
The Moyne Commission suggested minimum wage legislation as an interim
measure. If this was unacceptable to a colonial government and the unions were to
negotiate satisfactory wages for themselves, then the Commission suggested Wage
Boards. These would fix wages industry by industry, even company by company
until the trade unions were able to take over their own negotiations.
Internal Manufacturing Industries
The Moyne Commission suggested that the West Indian territories should build up
their internal manufacturing industries and use locally grown products
wherever possible instead of increasing export crops. The reason given was due to
poor overseas markets. It recommended that governments should undertake the
milling of cornmeal which could provide factory employment and a larger market
for locally grown maize. In addition, they could boost the coconut industry by
manufacturing soap, margarine and lard substitutes locally.
Farming reforms
The Moyne Commission criticized the dependence of the territories on imported
food. It suggested land settlement schemes that would help to reduce unemployment
and raise the standard of living in the rural areas and of the territories as a whole.
Small farmers should become efficient in farming and should aim at making the
colonies self-sufficient in food and even creating surplus food that would transfer
then being net importers to exporters of food. Each territory would have to look to
other Caribbean territories for the foods needed.
The West Indian Welfare Fund
The Moyne Commission recommended that a special welfare fund should be set up
for the Caribbean region by the British Government. It should provide an annual
grant of £1 million for 20 years to improve health, housing, welfare, education, and
to start new industries.
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In 1940, the British Government passed the Colonial Development and Welfare
Act which provided funds for the relief of distress and for economic development in
British colonies throughout the world.
Education
The Moyne Commission criticized the curricula as being unsuitable for the needs of
agricultural communities. It recommended the ending of methods of teaching and
syllabi that had been given up in England and called for courses that were more
closely related to the life and experience of residents in the West Indies. For
example, it recommended basic literacy and numeracy, health and agricultural
sciences. It also recommended the great need for more trained teachers in
secondary schools and colleges to replace the underpaid pupil teachers.
Self-government
The Moyne Commission recommended a slow movement towards the goals of
union leaders that is the people of each territory electing its own assembly by adult
suffrage. If further recommended extending the opportunities for people other than
the financially influential to stand for election. To do this, it recommended the
reduction of the margin between the qualifications for registration as a voter and
those for membership of the Legislative Council. This eventually led to the
establishment of a Franchise Commission which in 1944 recommended the lowering
of qualifications for voting and for membership of the Legislative Council. These
qualifications were in the areas of land ownership, value of land owned, property
occupation, income, and literacy in any language.

The Rise of Political Parties

How They Developed
The same poor social and economic conditions which led to the formation of trade
unions were also responsible for the organization of political parties. West Indians
were convinced that it was only through political action that effective measures could
be adopted to improve working and living conditions.
Effective political parties did not appear before the 1930 labour protests. However,
after the labour protests, dedicated and inspired leaders emerged who had ‘’grass-
root’’ connections and sympathy with the working class aspirations. To a large
extent, West Indians had become disillusioned with middle class leadership.
West Indians began to develop a new awareness of their social position and the
desire to become fuller members of their society because of the rising spirit of
nationalism.
The organization of political parties was supported by the majority of the working
class and so this gave political parties an effective base on which to operate. In some
areas, trade unions themselves created parties or assumed the character of political
parties at election time.
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The reintroduction of elected members into West Indian legislatures which resulted
in representative and ministerial government as well as the grant of universal adult
suffrage helped tremendously to stimulate the organization of political parties.
The freedom to organize and exert pressure for reform, the existence of
an institutional framework and political climate in which political parties were able
to play meaningful roles led to the rise of political parties.
Jamaica
1921- Jamaica Political Reform Association was formed. It was among the first
political organizations.
1929- The People’s Political Party led by Marcus Garvey.
1935- Quassi- political parties such as the Elected Members’ Association and the
Federation of Citizens’ Association.
1937- Establishment of a branch of the Jamaican Progressive League founded in
New York by Jamaican author: W. Adolphe Roberts.
The main objective of these organizations was to have a greater measure of self-
government. The movement of self-government gained great mass support after the
labour protests of May 1938 and the emergence of Alexander Bustamante and
Norman Manley as the champions of the working man’s cause.
1938- Founding of the People’s National Party with Manley as leader until his
retirement in 1969.
Bustamante launched the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and in 1943 launched
his own political party- the Jamaican Labour Party. Other political parties were
formed but they were unable to successfully challenge the JLP and the PNP, hence,
the establishment of a two-party system.
Trinidad
The oldest political party was established in 1894: Trinidad Working Men’s
Association by Alfred Richards but was hardly active politically until
elected members were introduced into the Legislative Council. The extremely high
qualifications for voters retarded the development of political parties. However, in
1936, Uriah Butler founded the British Empire Workers’ and Citizens’ Home Rule
Party otherwise called Butler Party.
In the 1940s, political interest increased immensely due to the introduction of an
unofficial majority in the Legislative Council in 1941, the introduction of universal
adult suffrage in 1945, and the introduction of an elected majority in 1949. However,
it was not until January 1956 when Dr. Eric Williams launched the People’s
National Movement and won a majority of the elected seats for the legislature in
general elections that year, that Trinidad began to experience genuine party politics.
Barbados
The first party can be registered as the Democratic League formed by Dr. Charles
Duncan O’Neal in October 1924. It disappeared when O’Neal died in 1936. The
1937 protestsmarked a political awakening of Barbadians and in 1938, the Barbados
Progressive League was launched. By the early 1940s, the League was divided into
three, two of which were the Barbados Workers’ Union and the Barbados Labour
Party with Grantley Adams as the Chairman of both.
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In May 1955, the newly organized Democratic Labour Party was officially launched
by Cameron Tudor and Errol Barrow.
The Leeward Islands
In contrast to Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana, the politics of the Leeward
Islands was dominated by single parties. The successful parties were virtually
identical with the leading island-wide trade unions from which they derived their
support.
Antigua
The Antigua Labour Party organized by V.C. Bird in 1946 as the Political
Committee of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union was victorious in every
election for the next 20 years despite challenges from the Antigua and Barbuda
Democratic Movement. In February 1971, the ALP was defeated at the general
elections by the Progressive Labour Movement.
St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla
The St. Kitts Workers’ League dominated the politics of the group since its
formation in 1932 with the support of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union
and more recently under the dynamic leadership of Robert Bradshaw. It was
challenged by the People’s Progressive Movement (1961) and since 1965 by the
People’s Action Movement.
Montserrat
The dominant party was the Montserrat Labour Party formed in 1952. It was the
political arm of the Montserrat Trades and Labour Union.
The Windward Islands
The Windward Islands were among the last of the British West Indian colonies to
develop meaningful political parties. This was due to the fact that universal suffrage
was only introduced in 1951. Before then, political parties were left to trade unions.

St. Lucia
St. Lucia Labour Party was formed in March 1949, and performed the political
activities previously performed by the St. Lucia Workers’ Union. In June 1950, the
People’s Progressive Party was formed. A split in the labour party led to the
formation of the National Labour Movement under John Compton.
Grenada
In 1949, Eric Gairy organized the Grenada Manual and Mental Workers’ Union
which called labour strikes in 1950 and 1951. The union also contested and won the
1951 general elections despite opposition from Grenada Action Committee. The
1957 elections were contested by four parties: Dr. John Watts Grenada National
Party, Eric Gairy’s Grenada United Labour Party, the People’s Democratic
Movement, and the Grenada United Federal Labour Party.
St. Vincent
Political parties were slow to develop even after the introduction of universal suffrage
in 1951. The St. Vincent Working Men’s Association engaged in political activities
in the 1940s, and in the 1951 elections all the seats were won by the United
Workers, Peasants and Rate Payers’ Union. After the elections, the island’s first
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purely political organization were launched: the People’s Political Party by Ebenezer
Joshua. By 1961, it emerged as the major Vincentian Party and by that time time, the
St. Vincent Labour Party emerged under Milton Cato in effort to form an effective
opposition.
Dominica
Political organizations which existed before 1951, were middle class oriented, e.g.
Dominica Taxpayers’ Reform Association founded in 1932 and the People’s
Progressive Party in 1932 also. The 1951 general elections were contested by labour
organizations: the Dominica Trade Union and the Dominican Progressive Workers’
Union. In May 1955, Mrs. Phyllis Shand Allfrey, a white middle class woman
founded the Dominica Labour Party with working class support and in 1957, a
second political party, the People’s National Movement was formed by Clifton
Dupigny. In People’s Party which went on to exercise political control in Dominica.

An Outline of the Protests in the Various Territories

The middle classes and some labour leaders formed organizations to press for
political, economic and social change. The majority of the Black and Indian workers
chose strikes and demonstrations as their method of protest. The majority did not
vote and so could not use constitutional means to win changes. As a result, the
streets became their political platform. They believed that this was a faster way to get
authorities to attend to their demands for wage increases and a better standard of
living.
Timeline of Various Protests in the Caribbean
British Honduras- February 1934
St. Kitts- January 1935
Trinidad- July 1934 and June 1937
St. Vincent- October 1935
St. Lucia- 1935 and August 1937
British Guiana- 1935, June 1938 and 1939
Barbados- March 1937
Jamaica- 1934 and May 1938-1940

British Honduras
The ‘’Unemployed Brigade’’ organized a march through Belize City in February.
The leader of the Labourers and Unemployed Association arrested later in the year
when a major riot took place in the city. Afterwards, a strike for higher pay was
organized at Stann Creek in the south of the country.
St. Kitts
The sugar estate workers in Basseterre went on strike in January 1935 because they
wanted their wages returned to the standard wage rates which were established
before the general reduction in agricultural wages in 1932. They had been offered 8
pence instead of the original 11 shillings. The striking workers were joined by
workers from other estates. The police, a military British warship and marines were
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called out. Several workers were killed, 8 were wounded, 39 were arrested and 6
received jail terms ranging from two to five years.
Trinidad
In 1934, there was a demonstration by unemployed workers in Port of Spain and
strikes in the sugar industry. In February 1935, Tubal Uriah Butler, a Grenadian by
birth, led about 120 people on a hunger march from the southern oilfields to Port of
Spain.By 1937, the oilfield workers’ strike spread and the sugar workers and urban
workers also joined. These workers had specific grievances such as the rise in the
cost of living which was estimated at 17% and the ‘’Red Book System’’ used to
identify workers in the oil industry and which the workers said could be used to
victimize them.
In 1937, riots broke out in the oilfields in Trinidad under the leadership of Uriah
Butler. The trouble started with a sit-down strike on the property of Trinidad
Leasehold Limited, operated by South African capital and where white officials were
suspected of colour prejudice. Two oilfields broke out in fire and two police officers
were killed. The strike spread from the oilfields to the sugar estates and to the towns
of San Fernando and Port of Spain where business places were burnt. The Royal
Navy and the Marines were called in after 14 persons had been killed and 59
wounded. The workers' demands were heard and Butler became labour leader.
St. Vincent
The protests in St. Vincent were based on the government’s attempt to raise taxes
on imported food. This put an additional burden on people who were getting low
wages, were unemployed or were already in depressed social conditions. In October
1935, the governor made additional taxation proposals. This caused the working
class to protest by interrupting a meeting of the legislature called by the governor.
The workers damaged the courthouse, stampeded the prison, released 10 prisoners
and ransacked the merchant FA Corea’s business. The Riot Act was read and the
police were called out. 1 person was killed and several injured. The rebellion spread
from Kingston to Georgetown and Chateaubelair. A state of emergency was declared
and the British warship was summoned. The rebellion resulted in the formation of
the Workingmen’s Association which had a radical programme with urgent
demands for land settlement and constitutional reform.
St. Lucia
In St. Lucia there was an important trade in supplying ships with coal. At the end of
1935, there had been a non-violent strike among the coal workers. The governor,
quickly settled the strike and confidently dismissed the workers’ demand for increase
pay. In 1937, the agricultural labourers on the sugar plantations went on strike for
higher wages. The governor called out the troops again, set up a committee and
granted only a slight wage increase and gave a minimum wage order.
Barbados
In 1937, riots in Barbados were centred around Clement Payne (Trinidadian). He
told the people that they were being oppressed because of their race and he urged
them to organize themselves into unions. Payne kept several meetings in Bridgetown
and other parts of the island. The authorities decided to put a stop to these
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developments by deporting Payne on the grounds that he had given false

information to immigration officers when he entered the island Barbados. Payne had
declared that he was a Barbadian. The authorities said he was Trinidadian. The
truth is that Payne had been born in Trinidad to Barbadian parents. Grantley Adams
appealed against the deportation, which still went ahead.
Riots broke out in Bridgetown and on sugar estates, automobiles were pushed into
the sea, stores were ransacked and the police volunteers killed 14 and wounded 47
of the rioters. Grantley Adams emerged as Labour Leader and the Barbados
Progressive League was formed. Trade union laws were also passed.
British Guiana
In British Guiana, there were several strikes and demonstrations in 1935 on various
sugar plantations mainly by former Indian indentured servants. The main demand
was for increased wages. The strikes were spontaneous, widespread and determined.
They lasted on and off through September and October. Following the advice of a
Commission of Enquiry, the workers formed in 1936 the Manpower and Citizens’
Association which became registered as a trade union in 1937. The main leaders
were Indians who were in favour of collective bargaining rather than strikes and riots.
There were further protests in 1938 and 1938. In the outbreaks of 1938, the union
negotiated with management and urged workers to return to work on the assurance
that their demands would be met. As a result, they were able to secure wage
increases.
Jamaica
Labour unrest in Jamaica began in August 1937 as well, when a demonstration of
unemployed workers and ex-servicemen in Kingston was broken up by the police
using batons. Then, in May 1938, violence erupted at the Frome Sugar Factory
owned by Tate and Lyle, and when strikers attacked the estates officials, the police
opened fire killing 4, wounding 9 and arresting 85. The disorder spread to the
Kingston Waterfront where a general strike was called. Mobs paraded the streets
attacking shops and cars and the police again used force and 8 were killed, 171
wounded and over 700 arrested. The leading labour figure in the Jamaican riots was
Alexander Bustamante.