The Report of the West India Royal Commission, popularly known as The Moyne Report, is perhaps one of the single most important documents in the history of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Following Emancipation in 1838, former slave owners sought to exact labour at the lowest of wages and former slaves struggled for land, better working conditions and better wages. In the 1930s, the social changes since Emancipation brought an increasing working class consciousness to the fore which erupted in a series of labour rebellions across the territories of the British Caribbean. Complaints of abhorrent social and economic conditions spurred the appointment by the British Government in August 1938 of the West India Royal Commission led by Lord Moyne, to investigate and make recommendations on the conditions in the British territories. The comprehensive Report detailing the horrible conditions suffered by the people of the then British Caribbean is presented in its entirety and is enhanced by an introduction by Denis Benn. From health to infant mortality; housing to child labour and discrimination against women; labour and trade unions; agricultural policy and land settlement, the Report was scathing in its criticism of British colonial policy in the Caribbean and advanced a number of recommendations to deal with the challenges of the territories. A seminal document in the development of the Caribbean The Moyne Report is a critical document for scholars of Caribbean history, society, economics and politics.
Social & Economic Conditions
The Great Depression made conditions in the West Indies much worse due to a drastic decrease in exports and a sharp decline in the global price of sugar.[13] Some agricultural industries suffered further damage due to endemics of plant disease and poor weather. Substandard wages were cut further following the collapse on Wall Street and underemployment and unemployment were the norm.[14] Adding further strain to an already fragile society, those working internationally in the United States, Cuba, Panama and Costa Rica were repatriated.[14] Many of these workers brought with them ideas about labour organization, standards of living and a class consciousness that would in turn fuel the revolts and calls for reform in the 1930s.[15] These ideas had been growing steadily since the 1880s even if social welfare and the economy remained idle.[16]
Whatever employment existed in the West Indies at this time was intermittent and underpaid. Coupled with the horrendous working and living conditions the labour riots that began in 1934, starting with Belize lumber workers and spreading through almost every British colony in the region by 1939, marked the breaking point of the current colonial system in the region.[17] The inability of most households to meet the most basic of financial needs ensured that malnutrition and substandard living conditions created unbearable conditions.[18] Florence Nankivell, the wife of the former Trinidad Colonial Secretary, acknowledged that the dire living conditions were the result of extremely low wages and offered her journals, which detailed West Indian’s poor health, to the Commission as evidence.[19] According to Brinsly Samaroo, Florence’s husband Howard was removed from his governmental position in Trinidad due to his sympathies towards the workers whom both he and his wife believed had “just cause” to revolt.[20]
The relatively prompt arrival of the Moyne Commission to the British West Indies following the labour and civil unrest cannot be separated from the looming threat of war in Europe. Trinidad experienced one of the larger labour uprisings and was an important source of oil for the British Empire.[21] Not only was there fear that a disgruntled employee would sabotage the oilfields, but also that any further disruptions to the industry would hinder future war efforts.[22] The risk to British interest in oil resources sparked an immediate commission from the Trinidadian Colonial Government. The Forester Commission of 1937 reported on the conditions solely in Trinidad and the British Parliament in turn established a Royal Commission.[23]
At this time the governments of Germany and Italy were openly critical of Britain’s colonial history of subjection and exploitation.[24] British citizens, too, were often antagonistic towards their nation’s colonial policies.[25] The United States, although far less vocal, was critical of what it saw as a failed imperial model.[26] In this respect Howard Johnson emphasizes that the commission was a performance to showcase Britain’s “benevolent” attitude towards its colonial subjects.[26] This plan was misguided as the findings were so horrendous that the British government published only the recommendations in 1940 and withheld the bulk of the report until after the war in 1945.[27]

Recommendations
After revealing the “canary in the imperial coal mine” the Moyne Commission urged health and education initiatives along with increased sugar subsides to stave off a complete and total economic meltdown.[34] Howard Johnson writes that the Colonial Office’s response to the Caribbean crisis was to shift the revolutionary antagonism into peaceful reform by funnelling large sums of cash into the region.[35] This was an important ideological change, the metropolis, which previously asserted that welfare services were the sole responsibility of the colony, offered large sums of funding. With the recommendations of the Moyne Commission, the Colonial Development and Welfare Act was passed in 1940 to organize and allocate funds to the British West Indies for the purpose of long-term reconstruction.[36] However, Johnson emphasises the lack of benevolence in these reforms. Even though large sums of cash were channelled to the West Indian colonies this was simply an attempt to keep a crumbling empire together where the colonial power would still maintain its affluent position as the primary beneficiary of the relationship.[35] The war effort played an important role in the allocation of funds as well. Britain needed its colonies to be strong and with minimal internal strife to maintain strategic strongholds and resources.[27]
The Commission’s advocacy of a West Indian Welfare fund, which provided 1 million pounds sterling over twenty years to the colonies, was perhaps the most “drastic” measure endorsed by the commission.[37] To place this sum in context, Britain was spending 6 million sterling a day on the war.[38] Historian Kevin Singh sees that the welfare efforts made were “palliative given the circumstances.” No recommendations were made to address the stagnant economic system except to place greater emphasis on local food production and to build upon industries such as tourism, fishing and "craft earthenware.”[39]
Not all recommendations from the Moyne Commission were directed at Britain or the political elites. Joan French shows that the commission placed a large burden of responsibility on women and suggested they exit the workforce to stay home.[40] The idea was that, by withdrawing from the workforce, more opportunities for employment would open up for males who would in turn support their families.[40] Women would in turn take care of their families’ domestic lives and also become active volunteers responsible for the social well being of the colony. This proposition was seen by many women as a new slavery where their service would be to men, the old and the sick.[41] The Moyne Commission was positive that the lack of a “proper family” structure in the West Indies was responsible for the poverty, high rates of child mortality, venereal disease and general ill-health that plagued the islands.[42] Following the report, the Jamaican Imperial Government in particular sought to limit its expenditures on social programs and pushed aggressively for non-paid social work as the primary means to improve social and health conditions. Although the local governments, along with organizations such as the YWCA, were quick to adopt monogamy and family as the best possible solution, French claims far too few actions were taken to improve familial nutrition or access to health care for any change in family structure to be effective.[43]
Despite the sympathy many of the commission members displayed towards West Indian residents The Moyne Report was ambivalent in its recommendations. Singh asserts that its main goal in crafting the recommendations was to maintain the status quo; the status quo being a region dependant on the metropolis with labourers creating abundant affluence for the empire with minimal benefit for themselves.[44] Activists, labour leaders and West Indians were sceptical and scornful of The MoTyne Report. They asserted it did not address the institutional roots of inequality in the West Indian colonies, that being the lack of freedom, responsible government or social reform.

The Moyne Commission
Even though the Commission completed its report in 1940, the British Government did not release it to the public until July 1945 after World War II ended. Despite this, some of its recommendations were acted upon immediately after the report was submitted to the British Government.
It was felt that because of the Commission's sharp criticisms of colonial policy in the Caribbean, the British Government thought that if the report was released, the German Government would have used it for war propaganda.
The Moyne Commission exposed the horrible conditions under which people of the British Caribbean lived. It pointed to the deficiencies in the education system, and economic and social problems of unemployment and juvenile delinquency. It also sharply criticised the poor health conditions and expressed concern over the high infant mortality rate.
It was especially critical of the plight of sugar workers and small farmers, and condemned unsafe conditions at workplaces. It was also very concerned over the use of child labour and the discrimination against women at workplaces, especially since they worked long hours for less pay than men received. It found, too, that the interests of the workers were virtually unprotected since there were no collective labour agreements, while only the employers decided on what wages should be.
About drainage and irrigation, the Commission stated that almost all the well drained land was owned by the sugar producers. It noted: "The areas devoted to rice and pastures are badly drained and abound in large swampy areas where almost amphibious cattle, sheep and pigs eke out an unusual existence."
The Commission also looked at the political system operating in all the territories. It recommended the expansion of the franchise, and extending the opportunities for people other than the financially influential to stand for election. To do this, it recommended the reduction of the margin between the qualifications for registration as a voter and those for membership of the Legislative Council. This eventually led to the establishment of a Franchise Commission which in 1944 recommended the lowering of qualifications voting and for membership of the Legislative Council. These qualifications were in the areas of land ownership, value of land owned, property occupation, income, and literacy in any language.
Overall, the Commission felt that the root of the disturbances was a demand for better living conditions by the people.
Many of its recommendations were aimed at alleviating the conditions affecting workers. It felt that there should be compulsory registration of trade unions and audit of their funds. With regard to the fixing of wages, it stated that in each territory a wages board should be established to carry out this process. The Commission also proposed the establishment of unemployment insurance and adequate and regular factory inspections to reduce accidents. Its recommendation for the establishment of a Labour Department was acted upon in 1942 and a Commissioner of Labour was appointed.
Another very important proposal was for the Government to consult with the sugar producers for the imposition of a welfare levy on every ton of sugar produced. This recommendation resulted in the establishment in 1947 of a Labour Welfare Fund and money paid into this fund was allocated generally for the building of housing schemes for sugar workers.