Dr Rita Pemberton

THE IMPLEMENTATION of the laws which reduced the conduct of the human trade with particular colonies (including Tobago) in 1806, terminating the trade in captive Africans in 1808, the legal ending of enslavement by the Emancipation Act of 1834, and the premature termination of the apprenticeship system in 1838 sent strong signals to the members of the colonial legislatures in the British Caribbean of the imperial government's determination to assume full control of the administration of its colonies.

From very early in their establishment, the history of the colonial administrations was marked by conflict with the imperial government over aspects of policy and on the question of the source of their authority. The clashes most often occurred over the laws which the colonials favoured and which the imperial authorities did not support.

Matters came to a head over questions related to slavery when imperial interest was no longer aligned with the concerns of the sugar colonies. These laws, which were implemented between 1806 and 1838, stimulated the opprobrium of the colonial legislators, whose membership fought back in what was a contest for power.

Matters relating to these issues provided the fires under the political cauldron in which the enraged Caribbean plantocracy spewed their venom at the imperial authorities with a determination to defy the imperial dictates by challenging their impositions to defend their political, economic and social interests.

Embittered by the blast of imperial encroachment on what they regarded as their powers by birthright, the members of the Tobago Council and Assembly and the planting fraternity which they represented were in warlike mode against the imperial government. They were incensed by imperial refusal to heed their arguments against the implementation of these policies.

They had asked the imperial government to consider the island's historical experience regarding the intent to restrict the trade in captive Africans to Tobago because, they argued, the island never had a chance to obtain its desirable work force because of the disputes between Britain and France and the subsequent fall-out over American independence.

They considered the termination of enslavement a fatal economic and social wound and their representatives contributed to the failed effort to derail the anti-slavery movement. Tobago planters abhorred the premature termination of the apprenticeship system in 1838, arguing that the laws of 1834 an 1838 created labour problems on the island.

To this was added the 1846 Sugar Duties Act, which added insult to injury because it rendered Tobago's sugar unable to compete and virtually pulled the bottom out of Tobago's sugar market possibilities.

They felt the imperial government had not considered their welfare in the imposition of these laws and refused to give a listening ear to the voices from the Caribbean. But for them, the new laws signalled an erosion of their political power and stimulated challenges to their