West Indies Federal Labour Party
Encyclopedia
The West Indies Federal Labour Party (or WIFLP) was one of the two main Federal parties in the short-lived West Indies Federation
. The party was the first national party of the planned West Indies Federation. It was organised by Norman Manley
, Grantley Adams, V.C. Bird, Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, Joseph Nathaniel France
, Eric Gairy
, Carl La Corbinière and William Henry Bramble
in June 1956 as the Federation of Labour Parties of the British Caribbean. However, at its inaugural conference on September 1, 1956 in St.Lucia, its name was changed to the Caribbean Federal Labour Party. Only later on did its name finally change to the West Indies Federal Labour Party (although it was also mistakenly called the West Indian Federal Labour Party or the West Indies Federal Party). The WIFLP then went on to contest and win the Federal Elections in 1958. Since neither Manley nor Eric Williams
contested the Federal elections, Sir Grantley Adams became the Premier
. The Opposition party was the Democratic Labour Party
.
At its inaugural conference in St. Lucia, a constitution for the party was drafted providing for a biennial conference and an elected executive council which would act between meetings. This council was to convene at least once a year and was composed of party officers and seven others elected at the biennial conference.
The party was a confederation of local parties from each of the constituent territories. Generally speaking its constituent parties were the more urban based parties. Member parties were required to pledge active support of trade union movements and public ownership or control where this would best serve the public interest. Member parties were also required to advocate a society offering equal opportunities for all, regardless of race/colour or religion. Initially there were no Trinidadian parties included and in May 1957, in order to include the Trinidad's non-socialist People's Nation Movement, the constitution of the WIFLP was amended to allow admission of progressive parties and democratic trade unions, whether socialist or not. By the time of the first elections, the WIFLP was a grouping of the ruling parties in each territory except St. Vincent — although in October 1957, both the ruling party of St. Vincent (the People's Political Party
) and the opposition party (St. Vincent Labour Party) had applied for membership, the latter was ultimately approved and the former joined the Democratic Labour Party
. Associate membership was open to parties in British Guiana and British Honduras.
After the successful election, the party suffered from the awkward situation of the two most influential leaders (Manley and Williams) absent from the federal government, and holding a minority of seats from their respective territories Jamaica
and Trinidad and Tobago
.
Parties affiliated with the WIFLP included (incomplete)
The WIFLP's political manifesto (which formed its election platform) advocated a democratic socialist society, maintenance of close contacts with countries with which the islands had strong cultural and economic links, encouragement of agriculture and tourism, establishment of a central bank to expand credit resources throughout the area, dominion status within five years, full internal self-government in all the unit territories, encouragement of British Guiana, British Honduras and the Bahamas to join the union and an international project for technical and financial aid to the Caribbean.
When Sir Alexander Bustamante
won a referendum in Jamaica
to leave the Federation, Eric Williams
decided that the remaining burden was too great for Trinidad and Tobago
to bear alone. Once Trinidad and Tobago declared its intention to leave the Federation, the British
government dissolved the West Indies Federation.
Confusion over the name of the party during its existence and afterwards could have been partly due to existence of another party by the name "West Indian Federal Labour Party" that was loosely organized and established in 1926 at a conference in St. Lucia (The party discussed in this article was not associated with the 1926 party).
West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom...
. The party was the first national party of the planned West Indies Federation. It was organised by Norman Manley
Norman Manley
Norman Washington Manley MM QC National Hero of Jamaica , was a Jamaican statesman. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s...
, Grantley Adams, V.C. Bird, Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, Joseph Nathaniel France
Joseph Nathaniel France
Joseph Nathaniel France, KCMG, CBE was a Saint Kitts and Nevis trade union leader and politician. He served as a representative in the National Assembly, Minister of Social Services under Chief Minister Paul Southwell, and was General Secretary for the St...
, Eric Gairy
Eric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
, Carl La Corbinière and William Henry Bramble
William Henry Bramble
William Henry Bramble , also known as Willy B, was a union leader and a political-party leader from Montserrat; from his Montserrat Labour Party, he was the first Chief Minister of the country, serving from January 1960 to December 1970.Owing to his social compromise for the poor and political...
in June 1956 as the Federation of Labour Parties of the British Caribbean. However, at its inaugural conference on September 1, 1956 in St.Lucia, its name was changed to the Caribbean Federal Labour Party. Only later on did its name finally change to the West Indies Federal Labour Party (although it was also mistakenly called the West Indian Federal Labour Party or the West Indies Federal Party). The WIFLP then went on to contest and win the Federal Elections in 1958. Since neither Manley nor Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
contested the Federal elections, Sir Grantley Adams became the Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
. The Opposition party was the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (West Indies Federation)
The Democratic Labour Party was one of the two Federal parties in the short-lived West Indies Federation. The party was organised by Sir Alexander Bustamante to counter the West Indies Federal Labour Party led by his cousin Norman Manley....
.
At its inaugural conference in St. Lucia, a constitution for the party was drafted providing for a biennial conference and an elected executive council which would act between meetings. This council was to convene at least once a year and was composed of party officers and seven others elected at the biennial conference.
The party was a confederation of local parties from each of the constituent territories. Generally speaking its constituent parties were the more urban based parties. Member parties were required to pledge active support of trade union movements and public ownership or control where this would best serve the public interest. Member parties were also required to advocate a society offering equal opportunities for all, regardless of race/colour or religion. Initially there were no Trinidadian parties included and in May 1957, in order to include the Trinidad's non-socialist People's Nation Movement, the constitution of the WIFLP was amended to allow admission of progressive parties and democratic trade unions, whether socialist or not. By the time of the first elections, the WIFLP was a grouping of the ruling parties in each territory except St. Vincent — although in October 1957, both the ruling party of St. Vincent (the People's Political Party
People's Political Party
People's Political Party can refer to several political parties:*People's Political Party *People's Political Party *People's Political Party *People's Political Party of Ontario...
) and the opposition party (St. Vincent Labour Party) had applied for membership, the latter was ultimately approved and the former joined the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (West Indies Federation)
The Democratic Labour Party was one of the two Federal parties in the short-lived West Indies Federation. The party was organised by Sir Alexander Bustamante to counter the West Indies Federal Labour Party led by his cousin Norman Manley....
. Associate membership was open to parties in British Guiana and British Honduras.
After the successful election, the party suffered from the awkward situation of the two most influential leaders (Manley and Williams) absent from the federal government, and holding a minority of seats from their respective territories Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
.
Parties affiliated with the WIFLP included (incomplete)
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- Grenada United Labour PartyGrenada United Labour Party-History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome...
- People's National MovementPeople's National MovementThe People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
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(Jamaica) - Montserrat Trade and Labour Union
- Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour PartySaint Kitts and Nevis Labour PartyThe Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party is a centre-left political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is currently the ruling party in the country after winnign six of the eleven seats in the 2010 general election.-History:...
- Saint Kitts Workers' League
- Saint Lucia Labour PartySaint Lucia Labour PartyThe Saint Lucia Labour Party is a social democratic political party in Saint Lucia. It currently holds ten of the 17 seats in the House of Assembly.-History:...
- Saint Vincent Labour PartySaint Vincent Labour PartyThe Saint Vincent Labour Party was a social democratic political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the ruling party between 1967 and 1972 and again from 1974 until 1984.-History:...
The WIFLP's political manifesto (which formed its election platform) advocated a democratic socialist society, maintenance of close contacts with countries with which the islands had strong cultural and economic links, encouragement of agriculture and tourism, establishment of a central bank to expand credit resources throughout the area, dominion status within five years, full internal self-government in all the unit territories, encouragement of British Guiana, British Honduras and the Bahamas to join the union and an international project for technical and financial aid to the Caribbean.
When Sir Alexander Bustamante
Alexander Bustamante
Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE, National Hero of Jamaica was a Jamaican politician and labour leader....
won a referendum in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
to leave the Federation, Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
decided that the remaining burden was too great for Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
to bear alone. Once Trinidad and Tobago declared its intention to leave the Federation, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government dissolved the West Indies Federation.
Confusion over the name of the party during its existence and afterwards could have been partly due to existence of another party by the name "West Indian Federal Labour Party" that was loosely organized and established in 1926 at a conference in St. Lucia (The party discussed in this article was not associated with the 1926 party).