West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation (English West Indies Federation) was a short-lived federation of several British colonies in the Caribbean, which existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962.
The Federation consisted of twelve provinces, which had emerged from the British colonies in the Caribbean. It was created in 1958 by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to create a political unit that should be shared independently as a state modeled on the Australian or Canadian federation. But before this could happen, the Federation collapsed due to internal political conflicts.
The West Indies Federation was composed of the following provinces:
- Antigua ( Antigua and Barbuda today )
- Barbados
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Jamaica (this included the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos islands as dependent territories )
- Montserrat
- St. Christopher -Nevis - Anguilla (now separated in St. Kitts and Nevis and Anguilla)
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent ( now St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
- Trinidad and Tobago
As the capital of an area called Chaguaramas was provided, a few kilometers west of Port of Spain, now the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. Actual capital was Port of Spain itself, as the planned capital was not completed until the dissolution of the state.
Although the Federation first enjoyed broad support and had an optimistic outlook, the unit did not last long. The two largest provinces, Jamaica and Trinidad, soon took control of the affairs of the Federation, much to the annoyance of the smaller provinces. The two major provinces felt more and more undesirable as the small islands compared to negative, even hostile behaved them.
In 1961 the Governor of the Jamaican province through a referendum. Independence was adopted and Jamaica left the Federation. The idea of a federal state had failed and the West Indies Federation was dissolved rapidly. Most provinces have independent member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. Some preferred to but to become again a British colony.
The only Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation was Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, the only Governor-General was Patrick George Thomas Buchan - Hepburn. Queen Elizabeth II was the head of state.
When the Federation was, gave each member country as before out own stamps. The currency was the West Indies dollar, which was later replaced in most former provinces by the East Caribbean Dollar.
The Federation maintained particularly close relations with Canada, which had a similar past. Canada also arose from the merger of several British colonies. In the early years, some suggested, to incorporate the West Indies Federation as a province in Canada. However, it was never more than a passing interest.