REGIONAL

INTEGRATION
The West Indian Federation
1958-1962
The West Indian Federation was one of the first major attempts
at regional integration in the Caribbean (1958-1962)
• REGION: an area of a country or
the world having definable
characteristics but not always
fixed boundaries
• INTEGRATION: the act of
combining things to form a whole

Definable characteristics: noticeable features or qualities shared by the

Caribbean islands
CARIBBEAN: relating to
the region consisting of
the Caribbean Sea, its
islands and the
surrounding coasts
DEFINABLE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
CARIBBEAN REGION
7 DEFINABLE CHARACTERISTICS
1. LIMITED NATURAL RESOURCES
a) Minerals (T&T has oil, Jamaica has bauxite)
b) Agriculture-based economies (fertile soils: sugar, bananas, arrowroot, ground
provisions)
c) Tropical climate: suitable for agriculture and tourism

2. DEPENDENCE ON TOURISM
– Historical sites, scenic beauty: eco-tourism (nature trails, bird watching, mud
volcanoes etc)
– Tourism industry is characterized by fickleness e.g. H1N1 outbreak in
Barbados can cause major losses in the hotel industry
– Present world economic and financial crisis crippling tourist industry
worldwide
– Price fluctuations etc can lead to major losses of foreign exchange revenues
3. PRONE TO NATURAL DISASTERS:
 e.g. hurricanes , floods and earthquakes which destroy property and cause
economic setbacks (Grenada)

4. SMALL POPULATION SIZE, SMALL PHYSICAL

SIZE:
 Small domestic markets
 Distance between the islands and inefficient inter-island transport

 Hinders trade
 Increases transport costs
 Increases costs of production
5) BRAIN DRAIN
– Skilled and educated people leave and migrate to developed countries in
search of more attractive jobs and a higher standard of living

6) COMMON HISTORY AND HERITAGE

– Members of the British Commonwealth

• Law, language, education system, social

institutions

7) VARIED ETHNIC COMPOSITION

– Due to our cultural and national tradition
Their small physical size,
small population size,
limited resources,
underdevelopment etc led
them to attempt to unite
and cooperate for their
common good
10 Member States
1. Antigua
2. Barbados
3. Dominica
4. Grenada
5. Jamaica
6. Montserrat
7. St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla
8. St. Vincent
9. St. Lucia
10. Trinidad and Tobago
Aims and Objectives of The West
Indian Federation
1. To generate ideas to solve their social and economic problems
– Sugar industry in decline (unprofitable)
– Shortages of goods & high prices after
WW2
– Low wages
– High unemployment
– Poor social facilities (hospitals, schools,
utilities)
2. To increase their bargaining power

– thereby securing cheaper prices for

imports and better prices for exports
through a united voice
3. To safeguard the democratic system of government

– resist the US intervention in the affairs

of the Caribbean (Monroe Doctrine)
4. To reduce foreign control over their economies

– (foreigners controlled most of the fertile

land)
5. To strengthen the movement towards independence and self-government
Achievements

 Facilitated the move from colonialism to

independence through a united voice

 Increased effectiveness in dealing with international

bodies such as the UN
Factors leading to the Collapse of the Federation in 1962

1. Trinidad and Jamaica thought it

unjust that they were expected to
provide 82% of the funding for
running the Federation.
2. Smaller states distrusted the larger
states
 Felt Jamaica and Trinidad would
change the constitution of the
Federation in their own interest
3. Conflict over choice of the Prime
Minister of the Federation
– (Sir Grantly Adams, Premier of
Barbados)
4. Conflict over choice of the capital
site, Chaguaramas, Trinidad
– Jamaica wanted to be the site of
the headquarters of the
Federation
– Others felt it was unsuitable
because the US had a military
5. Selfish Goals
– Islands at various stages of political development and the more advanced
countries felt that Federation might stifle their political progress i.e. their
move towards independence
– The most competent people to act as federal Prime Minister refused the role
(Dr. Williams and Mr. Manley both preferred to remain as heads of their own
countries)

6. Envy and jealousy among member states stemming

from their varying levels of economic prosperity
7. Inefficient communication
between the islands
 (inadequate shipping, telephone
and postal services)
8. Masses uneducated on the
importance of the Federation:
– Jamaica held a referendum in
1961 in which the majority of the
population voted against
Federation. Thus Jamaica
withdrew from the Federation
– Dr. Eric Williams “One from ten
leaves naught” – so Trinidad and
Tobago also withdrew from the
Federation