(c) crown copyright

Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/189 Image Reference:0002

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

Printed for the Cabinet. November 1927.

S E C R E T . Copy No. ^0

C P . 2 7 0 ( 2 7 ) .

C O N S T I T U T I O N O F B R I T I S H G U I A N A .

MEMORANDUM BY THE ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES.

I C I R C U L A T E , for t h e in format ion of the. Cabinet , a m e m o r a n d u m ind ica t ing t he need of a new cons t i t u t ion in the Colony of Br i t i sh G u i a n a a n d the necessity of ear ly legis la t ion on the subject by the I m p e r i a l Government . W O G

Colonial Office, Downing Street, November 10, 1927.

1. B r i t i s h G u i a n a is a s l a rge as G r e a t B r i t a i n , but development in the in te r io r h a s been of the s l ightes t , a n d nea r ly al l i t s i n h a b i t a n t s live on the coasta l s t r i p . T h e i r number is only 300,000, a l t hough about 350,000 i m m i g r a n t s have been in t roduced d u r i n g the l as t h u n d r e d years . T h e whole cen tu ry between i t s cession to th i s coun t ry a t the end of the Napoleonic w a r s a n d the o u t b r e a k of t he G r e a t W a r w a s one of m a r k e d mora l a n d m a t e r i a l s t agna t i on . A n abnormal ly h i g h dea th r a t e , due to the absence of the most e l emen ta ry form of t rop ica l hygiene a n d san i t a t ion , prevented any n a t u r a l increase in i t s popu la t ion . T h e phys ica l conformat ion of i ts coas t lands p rec luded the r ise of a p rosperous p e a s a n t p r o p r i e t a r y wi thou t e l abora te d r a i n a g e a n d i r r i ga t i on , wh ich the poor m a n could n o t afford a n d which the Gove rnmen t m a d e n o a t t e m p t to provide . T h o u g h n ine- ten ths of t h e Colony is forest , wh ich cons t i tu tes i t s g r e a t e s t po ten t i a l asset , a fores t ry d e p a r t m e n t did not exist even in t he mos t r u d i m e n t a r y form. T h e only i m p o r t a n t i n d u s t r y w a s , a n d a lways h a d been, s u g a r , wh ich con t inued to be g r o w n in d imin i sh ing quan t i t i e s a n d unde r p r eca r ious cond i t ions on the. coast . I t w a s n o t t i l l shor t ly after t h e w a r , unde r a mos t able a n d energe t ic a d m i n i s t r a t o r , t h a t a beg inn ing w a s m a d e w i t h t he most obvious, essent ial a n d overdue reforms. Schemes for p rov id ing t h e coas t l ands w i t h d r a i n a g e , i r r i g a t i o n a n d w a t e r supp ly were s t a r t ed . I t w a s decided to equ ip t he cap i t a l , h i t he r to correc t ly descr ibed as f loat ing on sewage , w i t h a p ipe-borne sewerage sys tem. A F o r e s t D e p a r t m e n t w a s c rea ted to explore t h e g r e a t t imber possibilities of t he Colony. Scientific a n d technica l surveys w e r e set on foot to examine the in te r ior a n d i m p o r t a n t reforms in the. extremely inefficient educa t iona l system were p r e p a r e d .

2. A p r o g r a m m e of th i s k i n d , unp receden t ed in t h e a n n a l s of the Colony, would, in any case, have placed a g r e a t s t r a i n on i t s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . T h e const i ­tu t ion of B r i t i s h G u i a n a , l ike those of m a n y of t he ne ighbour ing colonies, provides for a par t ly-e lected leg i s la tu re . A s is usua l u n d e r r ep re sen t a t i ve w i t h o u t responsible government , these elected members t end to r e g a r d themselves as a n opposi t ion a n d to i n t e r f e r e in t h e m i n u t e s t de ta i l s of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e business as well as general policy. I n cons t i tu t ions of t h i s t ype i t is cus tomary to supp ly t he govern­ment wi th t h e means of c a r r y i n g out the i r policy in v i ta l m a t t e r s e i ther by a n official majori ty or by a reserve power . N o such provis ion exists in B r i t i s h G u i a n a , where the elected members , t h r o u g h the power of the pu r se , exercise, in t h e las t r e sor t , complete cont ro l .

3. I n 1925 Sir G r a e m e Thomson , t h e then Governor , w i th t he u n a n i m o u s con­currence of his Execu t ive Counci l , informed the Sec re t a ry of S t a t e t h a t he w a s " e n t i r e l y convinced t h a t no rea l p rogress can be achieved un t i l the Government is provided w i t h a n official major i ty in o rder t h a t i t m a y no longer be wi th in t h e power of a small minor i ty , in no sense t ru ly r ep resen ta t ive or alive to t he in te res t s of t h e popula t ion as a whole, t o control the fa te of essent ia l measures w h e t h e r of policy o r

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finance." S i r G r a e m e Thomson s u p p o r t e d th i s conclusion by t ac t s , in to which i t i s unnecessary to en t e r i n de ta i l , bu t the subs tance of which w a s t h a t t he elect ions to the l eg i s l a tu re were de te rmined by br ibery a n d t r e a t i n g a n d resu l ted in the r e t u r n of a d i s repu tab le a n d u n s c r u p u l o u s t ype of demagogue , usua l ly in bad f inancial c i r cums tances , whose " a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s l a rger quest ions of policy, such a s i n t e r io r deve lopment a n d communica t ions , h a d been, a n d under ex i s t ing condi t ions will con t inue to be, governed by pe r sona l considera t ions a n d in teres ted m o t i v e s . " Si r G r a e m e Thomson a d d e d t h a t it would be was t e of t ime to a t t e m p t to proceed w i t h h i s p r o g r a m m e of reforms unless the Government were pro­vided w i t h a bare, ma jo r i ty in the Leg i s l a tu re composed p a r t l y of Government officials, p a r t l y of n o m i n a t e d unofficials of s t a n d i n g a n d abi l i ty , "whose class is a t p resen t w i thou t a voice in t h e affairs of Gove rnmen t a n d who could be relied upon to t r e a t G o v e r n m e n t measu res on the i r mer i t s .

4. N o ac t ion was t aken on th i s despa tch t i l l S i r G r a e m e Thomson ' s successor h a d been sufficiently long in the Colony to enable h im to form an op in ion on th is ques t ion . T h i s w a s received in 1926 a n d ent i re ly coincided w i t h his p redeces so r s . A b o u t the same t ime c e r t a i n of the elected members , concerned a t the condi t ion of t he Colony, i n t i m a t e d t h a t a commission of enqu i ry would be welcome from the i r po in t of view. I n these c i rcumstances the Sec re t a ry of S t a t e for the Colonies dec ided t h a t the t ime h a d come to a p p o i n t a P a r l i a m e n t a r y Commission to v i s i t B r i t i s h G u i a n a w i t h t e r m s of reference which were del iberate ly m a d e as w i d e as possible. The commission consisted of Mr . Roy Wi l son , M . P . (Conservat ive) , a n d Mr . Snell , M . P . (Labour ) . T h e i r r epor t (Cmd. 2841) w a s la id before P a r l i a m e n t a n d publ i shed las t A p r i l .

5. T h e Commiss ion ag ree w i t h the conclusion reached by S i r G r a e m e Thomson, h i s successor, a n d indeed all responsible persons connected w i t h t he Colony, t h a t t he p r e s e n t cons t i tu t ion is no longer workable , a n d recommend a change in the cons t i tu t ion in the d i rec t ion of s t r e n g t h e n i n g the h a n d s of the executive as des i rable per se in the i n t e r e s t s of the Colony. B u t they also d r a w a t t e n t i o n to a new a n d ser ious development which r ende r s cons t i tu t iona l re form not merely des i rable b u t inevi table . B r i t i s h G u i a n a is now on the verge of insolvency. T h e s t a t e of i t s finances is no t due to a n y rea l i nab i l i t y to meet i t s commi tments but to a hopelessly unsound financial system which is itself merely ano the r ins tance of the b reakdown of t h e old cons t i tu t iona l m a c h i n e unde r the pressure of modern r equ i r emen t s . T h e Commiss ion f u r t h e r po in t ou t t h a t i t will soon be necessary to ra i se a loan of a t leas t £ 2 mi l l ion on the London m a r k e t in o rder to pay for t he cost of the schemes a l r eady re fe r red to. I n view of the s ta te of the Colony r s finances they suggest t h a t such an ope ra t i on will be difficult a n d expensive a n d m a y have to be pos tponed a l toge ther u n t i l the Colony can show a balanced budge t w i t h effective control by Governmen t over t axa t i on . T h e i r final recommendat ion is as follows :—

" I t a p p e a r s to us essent ia l , as well on the g r o u n d of immedia te financial exigencies a s on t h a t of f u t u r e development , t h a t t h e a u t h o r i t i e s finally­respons ib le for the solvency a n d good government of t he Colony should have power in the las t resor t to c a r r y in to effect measures wh ich they consider essent ia l for i t s well-being. T h i s wil l involve a n a l t e r a t i on in t he Cons t i tu t ion , the prec ise n a t u r e of which , we suggest , m igh t be r e fe r red to a local commission convened by the Governor to advise upon the s teps which should be t aken to confer power upon the Governor to c a r r y i n to effect measures which he and the Sec re ta ry of S t a t e consider essent ia l for the wel l -being of the Colony; and also w h a t o t h e r improvements , if any, m i g h t be effected i n the p resen t Cons t i tu t ion .

6. I n cons ider ing th i s recommendat ion i t w a s necessary to t ake in to account t he fol lowing fac ts :—

(a.) T h e r e p o r t of t h e Commission, by d r a w i n g a t t en t i on to the condi t ion of the Colony, has increased the difficulty of r a i s i n g a loan on reasonable te rms . I f a loan were now floated a t a h igh r a t e of in t e res t i t would, even if succesful, pe rmanen t ly depress the c red i t of t he Colony a n d merely h a s t e n the b a n k r u p t c y which seems the inevi table outcome of the present incompeten t a n d prof l igate regime. Even w i t h Governmen t control of the finances, w h i c h would enable the loan to be ra i sed on the te rms commanded by o ther colonies, it is a lmost ce r t a in t h a t I m p e r i a l ass is tance wi l l prove to be necessary. I f t h e Colony 's l i ab i l i t i es a r e increased by the i s sue of a loan a t e x t r a v a g a n t r a t e s t h e demands upon . B r i t i s h t a x p a y e r wi l l in t he end be correspondingly augmen ted .

(A.) Shor t ly a l t e r the publ ica t ion of t h e C o m m i s s i o n ^ r e p o r t a n accoun t of t h e de l ibera t ions of the l eg i s la tu re on t h e a n n u a l budge t was received wh ich en t i r e ly bore out t he s t r i c t u r e s passed i n t h e r e p o r t on t h e m a n a g e m e n t of t h e finances. I n s p i t e of the c r i t i ca l financial posi t ion no s t e p s were t aken to res tore equ i l i b r ium between revenue a n d e x p e n d i t u r e beyond the impos i t ion of a smal l a n d indefens ib le t a x on a p a r t i c u l a r company, which, a t the request of the elected members , was suspended immedia te ly a f te r i t w a s passed.

(c.) About t h e same t ime^an e m i n e n t firm of consu l t ing engineers , which h a d been en t ru s t ed wi th t he supervis ion of t he execut ion of t h e mos t i m p o r t a n t of the new improvement schemes, res igned on the g round t h a t pol i t ical condi t ions in t he Colony were no t such a s could be to le ra ted by a n y se l f - respect ing professional firm. S imul taneous ly , a n d for s imi l a r reasons, t h e head of t h e new F o r e s t r y D e p a r t m e n t decided to t ake a d v a n t a g e of h i s op t ion to r e t u r n to the I n d i a n Fores t ry Service on the e x p i r y of h i s agreement . T h e resu l t of these two re s igna t ions , i f they h a d t aken effect, would have been to j e o p a r d i s e the complet ion of a scheme on which the Colony has a l r eady s p e n t nea r ly a mil l ion a n d the f u t u r e of a d e p a r t m e n t of the g r e a t e s t i m p o r t a n c e to i t s f u t u r e develop­ment . Bo th these r e s igna t ions were, in f ac t , d u e to t he a t t i t u d e of c e r t a i n of the elected members , who were p r i v a t e l y in te res ted i n wreck ing the improvement schemes a n d des t roy ing the new Fores t D e p a r t m e n t .

7. I n these c i rcumstances , the Sec re ta ry of S t a t e decided t h a t he h a d no a l t e r n a t i v e but to accept t h i s r ecommenda t ion . T h e Governor was accord ing ly i n s t ruc t ed to a p p o i n t a local commission, w i t h t e rms of reference based on those sugges ted by the P a r l i a m e n t a r y Commission. T h i s local commission have now repor ted . T h e i r r e p o r t recommends : (a) no a l t e r a t i on in the number of t he elected members or the level of t h e f r anch i s e ; (6) a s ingle Leg i s l a t ive Counci l , on t he u sua l model, cons i s t ing of 14 elected members , 5 n o m i n a t e d unofficial members , a n d 10 official m e m b e r s ; (c) t he Governor to be inves ted w i t h a reserve power enab l ing h i m to c a r r y i n to effect measures which, in h i s op in ion , a r e necessary *" in t h e in te res t s of publ ic order , publ ic f a i t h or o ther first essent ia ls of good government , i nc lud ing the respons ib i l i t ies of t he Colony as a component p a r t of the B r i t i s h E m p i r e . ' '

8. A cons t i tu t ion on these l ines would comply w i t h t he recommendat ion of the B r i t i s h G u i a n a Commission a n d meet the r equ i r emen t s of t h e Colony. I t would, as sugges ted by S i r G r a e m e Thomson, give t he Gove rnmen t a n d n o m i n a t e d unofficials combined a b a r e m a j o r i t y over t he electives, a n d to t h i s e x t e n t p rov ide a g a i n s t pure ly fact ious or in te res ted oppos i t ion . I n add i t i on , i t would, by t h e provision of a reserve power, enable a loan to be floated f o r t h w i t h on reasonable t e rms . T h e recommenda t ions of the local commission have been unan imous ly s igned by i t s members , of whom th ree were unofficials, i nc lud ing two electives.* They wi l l undoub ted ly be w a r m l y suppor ted by the responsible e lements in the Colony, who have a l ready , t h r o u g h the S u g a r P l a n t e r s ' Associa t ion , r e p r e s e n t i n g B r i t i s h G u i a n a ' s g rea t e s t i ndus t ry , a n d the George town C h a m b e r of Commerce, r e p r e s e n t i n g i t s business men, passed resolut ions unan imous ly endo r s ing the decision to effect a change in the cons t i tu t ion . T h e r e is , however, no t t h e remotes t p robabi l i ty of secur ing any genera l assent from the elected members . Even if i t were possible to ca r ry the proposed changes t h r o u g h the local l eg i s la tu re by the official vote re in forced by defect ions from the electives, such a p rocedure would, i n the op in ion of the Colonia l Government , arouse the b i t t e res t controversy, subject t he members of t he l eg i s l a tu re to p ressure a n d odium, a n d in tens i fy and embi t t e r p r o p a g a n d a which h i t h e r t o h a s had only superficial effects. On the o ther hand , an I m p e r i a l enac tmen t embodying the complete new cons t i tu t ion would be a fait accompli, and , as such, would be welcomed a n d acquiesced in by many who would h e s i t a t e to express opin ions openly or m i g h t jo in the oppos i t ion unde r p res su re . I t is accordingly proposed to accept the recommendat ions of t he local commission in toto, a n d to ca r ry them in to effect by an A c t of P a r l i a m e n t confe r r ing power upon the Crown in Council to c rea te a new cons t i tu t ion for Br i t i sh Gu iana . A d r a f t Bil l for t h i s purpose is annexed .

9. Such a measure will of course be denounced by mos t of the elected members and possibly cr i t ic ised i n P a r l i a m e n t as an unpreceden ted a n d reac t iona ry a t t ack

* Oue of the electives has, however, saved his face by appending1 a note which impairs the value of his signature.

upon local se l f -government . T h e real answer to t h i s is t h a t so long as the Secre ta ry o i S t a t e is cons t i tu t iona l ly responsible for t he good government of t he Colony, he canno t acquiesce in the con t inua t i on of a s t a t e of affairs which h a s been conclusively shown to e n d a n g e r i t s solvency, impede i t s development a n d reflect on i t s good name . T h e proposed changes wil l p rov ide B r i t i s h G u i a n a w i t h a cons t i tu t ion s imi la r to those of T r i n i d a d and J a m a i c a , ce r t a in ly no less pol i t ical ly advanced t h a n t h e i r ne ighbour a n d fa r more p rospe rous . They will affect ne i the r the r i g h t s of the e lec tora te nor the number of i t s r epresen ta t ives , a n d a r e confined to e q u i p p i n g the Governmen t w i th powers which a r e necessary to enable the Colony to meet i t s ob l iga t ions ; which a r e usual a t t h i s s t age of deve lopment ; and w i t h o u t which efficient a n d en l igh tened a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , ind i spensab le to the progress of B r i t i s h G u i a n a , is impossible. Nor is the mode of procedure unprecedented . A n A c t of P a r l i a m e n t , confe r r ing on the Governor of J a m a i c a t he equ iva len t of a reserve power , was passed by L o r d Melbourne ' s Governmen t in the days when the r i g h t of se l f -government was monopolised a n d abused by a small wh i t e o l igarchy of ex-s lave-owning l and lo rds . I n B r i t i s h G u i a n a , i t is t rue , power h a s passed to a black and coloured electorate , bu t the mass of the popu l a t i on a r e completely unrepresen ted , a n d probably unfit to exercise pol i t i ca l r i g h t s in t he o r d i n a r y m a n n e r . T h e vo t ing e lec tora te consis ts of about 8,000 persons , m a n y of whom sell the i r votes to the h ighes t b idder , whe the r in rum or in dol la rs , a n d r e t u r n members who use the powers vested i n them by the cons t i tu t ion to b lackmai l the Government . To invoke the sacred r i g h t s of local se l f -government in defence of such a cons t i tu t ion would be to follow t h e example of Pee l , who opposed L o r d Me lbourne ' s Bi l l for t he suspension of the old J a m a i c a n Cons t i tu t ion , one of t he most complete a n d i n to l e r an t o l igarch ies t h a t have ever exis ted, on the g r o u n d t h a t i t was a p roposa l to set u p " a despot ic a n d a r b i t r a r y power in place of t h a t l ibera l system which h a d prevai led for u p w a r d s of 150 y e a r s . "

I fully real ise t h a t c i r cums tances p reven t t h e Bil l being t a k e n before Chr i s tmas , b u t the sooner i t can be got t h r o u g h P a r l i a m e n t the be t te r . If t h e Cabinet a p p r o v e t h e pol icy, I hope they will au tho r i ze the i n t roduc t ion of t h e Bill a t a very ear ly d a t e in 1928 so t h a t t h e R o y a l Assent m a y be obta ined n o t l a te r t h a n t h e E a s t e r recess.

Draft of a Bill to make"Provision for the Government of British Guiana and its Dependencies.

B E it enac ted . &c.

Power to I .—(1 . ) I t shal l be lawful for H i s Majes ty in Counci l to c rea te a n d cons t i tu te L*gtta,ture 1 1 1 subs t i tu t ion for t he exis t ing L e g i s l a t u r e a L e g i s l a t u r e for Br i t i sh G u i a n a a n d i ts for British dependencies in such form a n d w i t h such powers as H i s Majes ty in Council m a y Ouians. de t e rmine , a n d from t ime to t i m e to a l t e r a n d a m e n d the cons t i tu t ion of t he Legis­

l a t u r e a n d any powers thereof ; a n d any such O r d e r in Council m a y prov ide t h a t , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e powers conferred on t h e Legis lature , thereby, t he r e shal l be reserved to or conferred on H i s Majes ty full power by O r d e r in Council from t ime to t ime to m a k e laws for t he peace , o rde r a n d good gove rnmen t of Br i t i sh G u i a n a a n d i t s dependencies .

(2.) Before any such O r d e r in Counci l c r ea t i ng a n d cons t i tu t ing such Legis­l a t u r e or a l t e r i n g t h e cons t i tu t ion or powers thereof is m a d e , a d ra f t thereof shal l be la id before each H o u s e of P a r l i a m e n t for a per iod of n o t less t h a n twenty-one days on which t h a t H o u s e h a s sa t , a n d if e i ther H o u s e of P a r l i a m e n t before t h e exp i ra t ion of t h a t pe r iod p resen t s a n a d d r e s s to H i s Majes ty a g a i n s t the Orde r or any p a r t thereof, n o fu r the r proceedings sha l l be t a k e n on t h e dra f t , w i t h o u t pre judice to the m a k i n g of a new dra f t Orde r .

Short title. 2. Th i s A c t may be cited as " The Br i t i sh G u i a n a A c t , 1 9 2 7 . "

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