STAFF IN CU MUZICE PERSONAL
J
Лий Роббай
Ceri
PLANTATION HOUSE,
ISLAND OF ST. HELENA,
SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
PC Du Esq.
wanh
148
West Indian & Atlantic
epartment
Rof 0A1/40
26 July 1977
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Dear Palink.
HANAGING TII) DATE DET 29 VIITO UTS
1.
Many than' ́s for your letter of 13 June enclosing a copy of a paper by Joli Stevart on the future skuffing of the Dependent Territorios,
2.
The most obvious ad far from original thought is that after the larger territories have beco e in ependent, the tiny remnants of a nacikime empire (Anguilla, the British Virgin Islamis, Cayman, lonserrat, St lena, Tristan da Cunha and the Turks and Caicos Islands) can be offered either their independence with a golden handshake sufficient War ion to give them an assured incone to provide either for their own noels or to serve as un attractive dowry to other suitors or alternatively become integrated with the United Kingdom at Urbun or Laural Council level. The last alternative of integration will probably not suit any excopt Anguilla, Ct Telma and Tristan simply because of the Ministorial systers and advanced constitutions already granted to other territorics. Cayman and BVI however night eventually accept an independence whose stability was in some way underwritten by G as an assurance to their overseas investors, though this need not necessarily follow the precedent of the Associated States. There could for example be entrenched clauses regarding hunda rights and property with an avenue of appeal to the Privy Council and regarding an in legendent judiciary, clauses which could only be removed from the Constitution by referendum. There would be gencrous financial and aid agreements. Once a pattern vag set, Monserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands night follow the same path. In the territories to be integrated, local people can probably be found of adequate quality to run their affairs at a District Council level, although small island communities will probably always need a dispassionate and unbiased expatriate vho can be generally accepted as having no personal ale Co grind in my matter, vho can take responsibility for decision; and any ensuing wpopularity amy with l when he leaves.
3. As I have no personal experience of Hong Kong ] cannot comment on the relevance of long Fong experience to the tasks of governing other territories but it would seen that there might be much advantage in the on ggestion of securing a suply of desk officers to lool: after dependent territories aceds by a system of into
changes
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