Jamaica Votes For Secession

Press, Volume C, Issue 29624, 21 September 1961, Page 15

Jamaica Votes For Secession

(N Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copy rig hI) KINGSTON (Jamaica), September 20. A popular vote against Jamaica remaining in the West Indies Federation appeared assured today with nearly all the results of a national referendum declared.

With only about 400 of the 4614 polling stations to report. the voting figures were: 230,825 votes against remaining in the Federation and 200.728 votes for remaining. The result indicated by a nearly complete count from a referendum would deal a crippling blow to the union of nine Caribbean islands promised independence by Britain by May 31 next year, said the Associated Press. Secession would allow Jamaica to seek its own independence within tiie Commonwealth. But it left the Federation, formed in 1958 without its largest and wealthiest member. Continuation received wide support in Kingston, the capital, and other urban areas, but later returns from rural areas turned the tide for secessionists, A.P. said. Jamaica is more than half the Federation’s land mass T’s 1.700000 people comprise 56 per cent of the Federation's population.

The drive to take Jamaica out of the Federation was led bv the Jamaica Labour Party of Sir Alexander Bustamente I’ contended that union with the other islands would lower Jamaica’s relatively high standard of living and Jamaica would be inadequately represented in the new Government. The ruling People's National Party of the Prime Minister (Mr Norman Manley) led the campaign for remaining in the Federation

It said Jamaica’s interests would be adequately prote'ted by increased renresentation in the new Government and by limitations on Federal taxing powers. Jamaica has 17 of 45 seats in the present Federation House of Representatives. I*, was to have had 30 of the 64 seats in the new House. In addition to Jamaica, the F 'deration‘s members are Trinidad, Barbados. Grenada. St. Lucia. St. Vincent. Dornin ; ca, Antigua and Montserrat.

In Bridgetown. Barbados, the Federal Prime Minister iS r Grantley Adamst said before the results were announced that Federation without Jamaica would be a tragedy. But although he wanted

Jamaica in the Federation this did not mean Jamaica could "ride roughshod on the wishes of others . . . the West Indies needs Jamaica, but that cannot be at any price,” Sir Grantley Adams said.