Jamaica and the Bahamas

HC Deb 17 December 1948 vol 459 cc229-30W

Mr. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the object of the Order in Council, dated 26th November, 1948, which extends the boundaries of Jamaica and the Bahamas to include the area of the continental shelf which lies beneath the sea contiguous to these territories.

Mr. Creech Jones

The object is to extend the jurisdiction of the Governments of these Colonies so as to give them control over the sea-bed and sub-soil continguous to their coasts with a view to securing such natural resources as may exist there.