JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

The Commission made its report eight months later. It was released
simultaneously in the United Kingdom and the West Indies on
18 th August 1933.
Opposition by Vested Interests
On the first day that the Closer Union Commission arrived in St. Kitts,
the St. Kitts Agricultural and Commercial Society held a meeting to
consider what stand they should take before the Commission. Eighteen
members were present at the meeting, sixteen of whom were estate proprietors
and managers, one was an exclusive merchant and one a steam
agent. The society decided to stick to its views as expressed six weeks
earlier when it opposed the sending of a delegation from St. Kitts to the
first West Indian Conference in Dominica. The society was against the
move for political reform and claimed that Representative Government
would not ensure the best interest of all classes of the inhabitants. This
Society sent a deputation to present its views to the Commission. But
no stone was left unturned by the Workers League and the Universal
Benevolent Association in placing before the Commission the case for
broad reform in the territory.
Recommendations
The report of Closer Union Commission filled a fat volume. Its summary
of recommendations were submitted in all sincerity. The following
extract from the summary gives a general overview: The Islands at
present forming the colonies of the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands
should be united into one colony under a Governor with Headquarters
at St. Lucia.
The three Islands of the Windward group should similarly remain
autonomous as now...
We desire to make it clear that our proposals do not pretend to
be more than a first step- and that a tentative one - towards a real federation,
not only of the islands with which we are dealing but of the
other units in the West Indies which may eventually be found willing to
join …
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