HC Deb 08 December 1943 vol 395 cc949-51
19. Squadron-Leader Donner

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the present war situation and the importance attached to the rehabilitation of the sugar industry by the Colonial Office and the Ministry of Food, he will request the appropriate American authorities to release labour by diminishing the tempo of their construction works in Trinidad during the harvest period from January to June?

Colonel Stanley

Labour is being gradually released by the United States authorities from work on the United States Base in Trinidad as that work approaches its completion, but I regret that I do not feel able to accept my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion that the American authorities should be requested to slow down defence work which they still consider it necessary to carry out in Trinidad, in order to release more labour for agricultural work.

20. Squadron-Leader Donner

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the nature of the restrictions imposed by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and/or the Governments in the West Indies on the movement of labour to Trinidad from other British Colonies where there is a surplus; whether he is aware that the labour available for agriculture in Trinidad is no more than approximately 30 per cent. of normal; and whether, in view of the improvement in the shipping position, he proposes to take any measures to alleviate the labour situation in the island?

Colonel Stanley

Such restrictions as there are on the immigration into Trinidad of labour from other Colonies are imposed by the Immigration Ordinance of 1942 in the interests of labour. In fact it has not proved necessary under the Ordinance to turn back any immigrant labourer who wished to get into Trinidad, except in a few cases on security grounds. In effect therefore the only restrictions are those of transport. Statistics of labour do not show the exact percentage of normal labour now available for agriculture, but I do not feel able to accept my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion that it is so low as 30 per cent. In reply to the last part of the Question, the Governor is exploring the possibilities of recruiting labour from the neighbouring British Colonies where there is a surplus available.

Squadron-Leader Donner

Is it contended by the Government that no shipping is available to transport labour from Jamaica to Trinidad when shipping has been available to transport thousands of workers from Jamaica to Florida to help with the American harvest?

Colonel Stanley

My hon. and gallant Friend will realise that they are going in exactly the opposite direction, and it may be easier to get shipping from the United States to Jamaica and back again than from Jamaica to the United States.

Dr. Morgan

Could not the Government or Colonial Office devise an emigration scheme under an organised body to see that the labourers going to Trinidad get good housing and amenities?

Colonel Stanley

Certainly, if we were able to overcome the shipping difficulties and organise emigration, we should have to look after the conditions when they got there.