Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what schemes have been submitted under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act in respect to British Guiana and British Honduras either by the local government or Sir Frank Stockdale; and which have been adopted or are under consideration?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanOnly one application has so far been received from British Honduras. This is for the build-1680W ing of a road from Belize to Cayo and a scheme has been made under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act to cover it. Twenty-two applications, in respect of the following matters, have been received from British Guiana: Appointment of a malariologist, extension of campaign against yellow fever mosquito, medical service for the aboriginal Indian population, material for health education instruction, equipment for a venereal diseases clinic, apparatus for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, broadcasting, lady health officer, training for sanitary inspectors, school medical officer, improvements in irrigation in West Demerara, model houses for health centre staff at Anna Regina, animal husbandry, livestock officer, marketing officer, sistor tutor, survey, improvement of river communications, experimental community centre, principal and instructor at Kingston trading centre, stock farming, buildings and equipment for Georgetown and Kitty boys' clubs, boys' work secretary, hospital secretary.
Schemes in respect of the first six of these have been approved, while the last has been deferred until after the war owing to difficulty in obtaining the necessary personnel. Of the remainder, two have been referred back to the Governor for further information, while the rest are under consideration either by the Comptroller or by Government Departments in this country. Delay has occurred in several cases owing to difficulty in obtaining suitable candidates to fill the proposed appointments, while other applications have only very recently been received. In addition to these, the Comptroller has made small grants in respect of the following items—prizes for competitions amongst allotment holders in Georgetown and New Amsterdam, construction of full-scale working sanitary models for use at Anna Regina Centre, and construction of houses.