Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Democratic Labour Party (West Indies Federation)
The Democratic Labour Party was one of the two Federal parties in the short-lived West Indies Federation. The party was organised by Sir Alexander Bustamante to counter the West Indian Federation Labour Party led by his cousin Norman Manley.
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 became the Federal Prime Minister, while Ashford Sinanan was the (DLP) Leader of the Opposition.
Under criticism for his anti-Federalism, Bustamante resigned from the DLP. He then held a referendum in Jamaica which favoured withdrawal from the Federation. This left Trinidad and Tobago with a disproportionate burden of the Federal budget, leading Eric Williams to lead them out of the Federation. This action led the British to dissolve the Federation.
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