resentment to them. However, proposals
have since been put forward that vouchers
should not be issued to certain categories
of people such as doctors, teachers and
science graduates, and it is hoped that the
Vouchers so freed could be used for a special
allocation to the dependent territories.
It is on this basis that the present proposal
for a special quota for the dependent
territories has now been put forward.
Talking Points
As paragraphs 2-4 of the memorandum bring
out, we have a special responsibility to
the dependent territories for which the
Commonwealth Secretary is ultimately
responsible to Parliament.
They are not in a
position to fight their own battles and must
depend upon us to see that they get a fair
deal. Our rapid decolonisation programme and
the reduction in our overseas commitments,
particularly those east of Suez and the
reduction in our Naval units in the Caribbean,
have tended to leave the dependent territories
even more worried than before about their
future and our readiness to help them. The
majority are completely loyal to the Crown
and look to us for help and guidance in tackling
their problems. After Mauritius and Swaziland
become independent next year, only british
Honduras is at the present moment likely to
proceed to independence at an early date.
The