§ 101. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has now received the report he asked for respecting the recent disturbances in Jamaica; whether any action has been taken by the police authorities; and whether the report will include particulars respecting the nature of the grievances of the mental hospital workers who were on strike.
§ 102. Mr. T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any statement to make regarding the strikes in the Kingston mental hospital, railways, fire services, prison, printing office and part of the public works department, Jamaica.
Mr. Creech JonesThe Governor has informed me that the police were in-214W structed on 19th February to submit a full statement regarding the disturbances. Owing to the heavy pressure on them since that date their investigations have not yet been completed, but their report is expected shortly. It will not deal with the grievances of the Mental Hospital workers. I am, however, glad to say that the strikes were ended by agreement with the unions concerned on nth March, and this will enable any outstanding matters affecting the workers to be settled by the appropriate negotiating machinery. I take this opportunity to say that information now received shows that the number of deaths in the disturbances was three and not five as stated in the Official Report of 26th February.