The West Indies

Federation
The West Indies Federation was formed on 3rd of January 1958
among the British territories of
Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St.
Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
It was hoped that the Federation would be the instrument through
which these British Caribbean colonies could unite and achieve
political independence from the United Kingdom.
Sources: From Columbus to Castro - The History of the Caribbean
Since 1945, the Federation had been viewed as a means of permitting the small
unviable West Indian island to work together for the purpose of achieving independence
which West Indian leaders and the United Kingdom Colonial Office alike thought they
were incapable of achieving it as individual units. The West Indies Federation comprised
of a house of Representatives consisting of 45 persons (a maximum of 2 representatives
per island).
Source: From Columbus to Castro - The History of the Caribbean

The Federation of the British Islands lasted only 4 years and by 1996 three of the
Federation’s constituent units had already become independent. This was due to a
combination of centuries old inter-island jealousies, inept Federal leadership and the
desire of the units to continue pursuing competitive rather than complimentary
strategies of economic demise.
Source: From Columbus to Castro - The History of the Caribbean
• The formation of the West
Indies Federation gave the
countries involved a
chance to build
international bonds.
• Original goal of united
Independence was not
achieved due to competition
between islands and also
because there was a large
difference in development
between some of the
countries.