§ Mr. Rileyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the right of public meeting has been suspended or prohibited in Jamaica; and, if so, what are the reasons for such suspension or prohibition?
Mr. M. MacDonaldNo, Sir. But as I have stated in answer to previous questions, a law was recently passed giving the Governor power to prohibit the holding of street meetings in time of tension.
§ Mr. Rileyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the Jamaican Government's policy for dealing with the acute problem of unemployment in the island; how many men are being employed on public relief works; and what is the scope of this relief work, the rates of wages paid for such work, and the number of hours worked per week?
Mr. M. MacDonaldTo relieve the unemployment situation the Government of Jamaica is organising and improving the marketing of agricultural produce both for export and local consumption and encouraging the establishment of canning, dairy and other industries based on the agricultural economy of the island. Parallel with this development is the land settlement programme to cost £650,000 which was started last year, and which aims at placing on the land a large number of persons who would otherwise compete in the labour market.
As a short-term policy for the provision of immediate employment the Government was empowered, by a law passed in December last year, to raise locally a loan of £500,000 for expenditure on public works. £300,000 was raised at the beginning of this year and it is anticipated that the remainder of the loan will be raised during the present financial year. Men employed on these works are paid at the normal rate of wages.
Finally, where unemployment is especially acute the Government of Jamaica has established a scheme of relief 2403W works on which approximately 1,400 men are at present employed. The majority of these are engaged on swamp filling and land reclamation in the Corporation Area of Kingston and St. Andrew. The men are paid a wage of 2s. a day with a free midday meal for five days a week, and work for thirty hours during the week.
Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why no news gathered from wireless reports may be published in the newspapers of Jamaica?
Mr. M. MacDonaldIn view of the terms of the licence granted to Cable and Wireless (West Indies), Limited, for the operation of wireless services in Jamaica, the Government has issued a regulation proving that no holder of a private wireless receiving licence shall publish or cause to be published in any newspaper issued in the island any item of news or information received by him by wireless telephony or telegraphy. This does not, however, preclude the publication of broadcast wireless news, since it is open to any person to arrange with Cable and Wireless to receive and supply wireless news services for publication, and I understand that at least one of the local newspapers has made such arrangements with the cable company. I am in communication with the Governor on the subject.