§ 27. Mr. Rileyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the known shortage of home-grown food, particularly rice, in the West Indian Colonies, any action is being taken to make more land available for food crops in Trinidad, Jamaica and British Honduras by the reclamation of swamps which, which reclaimed, can be readily adapted for rice production?
§ Colonel StanleyA scheme for the drainage of one large area of swamp land in Trinidad for rice production has been approved, and supervisory staff has been appointed, but the work is impeded by shortage of labour and difficulty in providing certain heavy equipment. No such schemes have been undertaken either in Jamaica, where it is considered that the local population are unlikely to be willing to take up this form of agriculture, or in British Honduras, where the cost of reclamation would probably be prohibitive.
§ Mr. RileyBut is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the United States Government have been reclaiming swamps in the West Indies, in connection with the new naval bases, that this work is now being completed and that -the machinery and tackle might be made available for reclaiming swamps for food production?
§ Colonel StanleyThe hon. Gentleman will realise that the one Colony about which he did not ask is British Guiana. That, of course, is the one Colony where there is considerable scope for this kind of thing.