The West Indies Democratic Labour Party (DLP) or Democrats was one of two Federal parties in the short-lived

West Indies Federation The West Indies Federation, also known as the West Indies, the Federation of the West Indies or the West Indian Federation, was a short-lived political union that existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962. Various islands in the Caribbean that ...

, the other being the West Indies Federal Labour Party (WIFLP). The party was organised by Sir

Alexander Bustamante Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante (born William Alexander Clarke; 24 February 1884 – 6 August 1977) was a Jamaican politician and labour leader, who, in 1962, became the first prime minister of Jamaica. Early life and education He was ...

to counter the WIFLP led by his cousin

Norman Manley Norman Washington Manley (4 July 1893 – 2 September 1969) was a Jamaican statesman who served as the first and only Premier of Jamaica. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s. Manley was an advocate ...

. In the

1958 West Indies federal elections Federal elections were held in the West Indies Federation for the first and only time on 25 March 1958. The result was a victory for the West Indies Federal Labour Party, which won 25 of the 45 seats in the House of Representatives. Electoral ...

, the party lost, winning 19 of the 45 seats in the

Federal Parliament of the West Indies Federation The Federal Parliament of the West Indies Federation was the bicameral legislature in West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. It was established as the legislative body in the intended federation of British Caribbean. One election was held, in 1 ...

History

It was founded in May 1957 and was originally composed of parties from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia a number of individuals (since unlike the WIFLP, the DLP admitted both parties and individuals). Bustamante was unanimously elected as leader of the party, while

Ashford Sinanan Ashford Sastri Sinanan (; 2 January 1923 – 1994) was a politician from Trinidad and Tobago who served in various roles prior to and following Trinidad and Tobago’s independence in 1962. Along with his brother, Mitra, Sinanan helped draft po ...

(Trinidad),

Victor Bryan The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

(Trinidad) and

Ebenezer Joshua Ebenezer Theodore Joshua (23 May 1908 – 14 March 1991) was a Vincentian politician and the first chief minister of Saint Vincent from 1960 to 1967. He was the Leader of the Legislative Council from 1956 to 1961. Early life and career J ...

(St. Vincent) were chosen as first, second and third deputy leaders, respectively. Other members of the executive included

Donald Sangster Sir Donald Burns Sangster ON GCVO (26 October 1911 – 11 April 1967) was a Jamaican solicitor and politician, and the second Prime Minister of Jamaica. Early life Donald Burns Sangster was born in Black River in the parish of St. Elizabe ...

, Mrs. Rose Leon,

Morris Cargill Morris Cargill CD (10 June 1914 – 8 April 2000, Kingston) was a Jamaican lawyer, businessman, planter, journalist and novelist. He was also a columnist for the Jamaican Gleaner. Life Educated at Munro College, a prestigious Jamaican seconda ...

(all from Jamaica) and

Bhadase Sagan Maraj Bhadase Sagan Maraj (; 29 February 1920 – 21 October 1971) was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian politician, Hindu leader, civil rights activist, trade unionist, businessman, wrestler, and author. He founded the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha in 1952, ...

(Trinidad).

Membership

The party was a confederation of local parties from each of the constituent territories. Generally speaking its constituent parties were the more rural based parties. Individuals (whether or not affiliated with a specific party) could be admitted. This led to the situation wherein

as leader of the

People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to: * People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan *People's Democratic Party (Belize) *People's Democratic Party (Bhutan) *People's Democratic Party (Chile) * People's Democratic Party (Dom ...

of Trinidad was admitted as a member, but the party apparently was not. Other individuals admitted included Ashford Sinanan (also of the People's Democratic Party of Trinidad),

Albert Gomes Albert Maria Gomes (25 March 1911 – 13 January 1978) was a Trinidadian unionist, politician, and writer of Portuguese descent, was the first Chief Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He was the founder of the Political Progress Groups and later led ...

and

Roy Josephs Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise to ...

Affiliated parties (incomplete)

1958 West Indies federal elections

In the Federal elections of 1958 the WIFLP won the majority of the votes in the Federal Parliament. Since neither Manley nor Bustamante had contested the Federal elections, Sir

Grantley Adams Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, CMG, QC (28 April 1898 – 28 November 1971) was a Barbadian politician. He served as the inaugural premier of Barbados from 1953 to 1958 and then became the first and only prime minister of the West Indies Federa ...

became the Federal

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, while

was the (DLP)

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

Manifesto

The DLP's election platform emphasized West Indian unity, freedom of worship and speech, encouragement of trade unions, a climate favourable to both private industry and labour, development of human and economic resources, and expansion of tourism. It pledged to work for the entry of British Guiana and British Honduras into the Federation, promised to press for loans and technical assistance to raise standards of living and avoid high taxation and urged a strengthening of existing ties with the United Kingdom, United States and Canada and fostering "very strong and profitable relationships" with neighbouring countries.

Dissolution

Under criticism for his anti-Federalism, Bustamante resigned from the DLP. He then held a referendum in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

which favoured withdrawal from the Federation. This left

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

with a disproportionate burden of the Federal budget, leading

Eric Williams Eric Eustace Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 1981) was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who is regarded by some as the "Father of the Nation", having led the then British Trinidad and Tobago, British Colony of Trinidad and Tobago to m ...

to lead them out of the Federation. This action led the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

to dissolve the Federation.

References

* Meighoo, Kirk. 2003. ''Politics in a Half Made Society: Trinidad and Tobago, 1925-2002'' * Wallace, Elisabeth. 1977. ''The British Caribbean: From the decline of colonialism to the end of Federation '' University of Toronto Press. {{Refend Labour parties Liberal parties in North America Political parties established in 1957 Politics of the Caribbean Political parties in the Caribbean West Indies Federation