日志
The Chinese in the Caribbean during the colonial era
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From as early as 1802 Captain William Layman had suggested that the colony of Trinidad would benefit greatly from free Chinese labour. It was felt that free Chinese labour would be a suitable substitute for African slave labour and that these “free civilized men” would set the African slaves an example in agricultural industry that would ultimately help to avert rebellion and forestall the establishment of a “black empire” as in Haiti. (Higman 22, and Look Lai, The Chinese 22). The first experiment with Chinese labour in the Caribbean was therefore in 1806 with approximately 192 Chinese immigrants arriving in Trinidad on the Fortitude. (Look Lai, The Chinese, 22) Needless to say this experiment was not successful as mortality rates and abandonment of the plantation was high. Organized Chinese immigration as a possible solution to the post-Emancipation West Indian plantation problems lasted from the 1850’s to the 1866. Approximately 18,000 Chinese entered the Caribbean during this period. The Chinese indentured immigrants were given contracts for three and then five year periods with no repatriation to China. Needless to say Chinese indentured immigration did not “save” the sugar industry in the colonies to which they immigrated. In fact many Chinese contract labourers quickly abandoned the plantation, many even before their contract ended by redeeming or purchasing the remaining years. This was particularly evident in Trinidad.
