Governor Huggins' Budget criticised

C. Roy Reynolds

We saw earlier that the budget presented to the Legislative Council in March 1944 seemed to have locked Jamaica into a developmental mould for years to come. It was rather peculiar given the fact that it was on the eve of the introduction of a new constitution which was expected to begin to transfer authority from the authoritarian supremacy of the colonial Government to local elected representatives.

While, as could be expected, much energy was devoted to dissecting and criticising the proposed constitution the Governor's attempt to chart the future course of the country did not go unnoticed. Evidence to this effect can be seen in a Gleaner report of May 18, 1944 by St. Ann member, Dr. Ivan Lloyd. In an opening encapsulation The Gleaner reported:

"Member for St. Ann suggests 10 per cent cut in state expenditure to provide 600,000 pounds for real works of development: Mr. Campbell outlines useful work present council has done; urges that excess profit tax should not be more that 66 2/3 percent to encourage enterprise and leave margin to men with progressive ideas."

Silent on wages

The settlement expressed by Dr. Lloyd was that the Governor's budget committed all available resources leaving no leeway for a more democratically constituted government to manoeuvre and respond to needs of the people. By cutting the Governor's proposed programmes across the board this anomaly could at least be partially addressed.

Another point of departure advocated by Dr. Lloyd involved the approach to land settlement. Governor Huggins had announced his intention to seek to acquire lands in every parish for the programme. While conceding that land settlement had had some success Dr. Lloyd advocated a modification to the Governor's approach. He told the Council in many cases it might be more desirable and far more economical to approach large landowners to make portions of their property adjacent to existing villages available at agreed values.

This, he said, would eliminate the need for totally new settlements six or more miles from existing habitations. And since these villages already had infrastructure like schools, post offices, churches, water and light in many cases the programme would not be as costly.

Dr. Lloyd went on to treat with the subject of unemployment. He said that while the figures given by the Governor might have been helpful, the fact that it was silent on wages, perhaps because of the unavailability of statistics, meant that the picture was incomplete.

Dr. Lloyd also pointed to the incongruity of rampant hunger while foodstuff has been destroyed by the Department of Commerce and Industry, as well as the inability of its marketing arm to operate efficiently. For while it was calculated that the annual production of foodstuff was about 250,000 tons the Marketing Department only handled 14,000 per year, at a cost of 26,160 pounds per annum, or an average of two pounds per ton. "I feel this is an exorbitant figure and we should get proper service for the money we are spending," he observed.

He was critical as well of some of the key public service appointments, observing that in many cases their qualifications and expertise were far removed from their professional assignments.

Among the other areas of advocacy by the St. Ann representative were the training of nurses and trade union personnel. He saw no reason why nurse training should not be brought up to a standard where the graduates would be able to fill positions in British hospitals. Just as a Jamaican doctor is regarded as a doctor at home and abroad.

Regarding the trade unions, Dr. Lloyd saw the need for training way in advance of the setting up of the trade union institute. He advocated that officers should receive training at the then Kingston Technical School and that certain officers be sent to England for further education "about trade union work."

Last chapter

He expressed the opinion that a course could be devised and implemented at the Kingston Technical School at little cost and that there was no lack of persons to teach the course.

Member for Kingston Mr. Campbell also weighed in on the prospects for change. He observed: "At this session of the Council we are engaged, I may say, in writing the last chapter in the old administration. Very soon it will be said that the old order changeth and giveth place to a new.

It is also true, sir, that the sort of budget speeches we have been given up to now will find no place at all in our new House."

Setting the Governor straight about the new reality, Mr. Campbell went on: "The habit of Hon. Members to appeal to you sir, as president of the House for certain things will no longer be necessary under the proposals, and I am hoping that members present now who may be re-elected to the new House will bear that fact in mind - that such speeches as used to be made will find no place in the new House."

In other words "bossman" had better realise that his days are numbered.

C. Roy Reynolds is a freelance journalist.

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