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individual liberty would be safeguarded by the Human Rights provisions of the Constitution.
18. We initially had some doubts about the proposal which seemed to have emerged rather hastily and accepted by Mancham with insufficient reflection. The longer-term dangers to his position seemed to us to be evident; and we had some doubts whether we
could proceed to a Constitutional Conference on the basis of a
private deal between the two political leaders. In the face of the explanations of the leaders of the two parties and their unanimity of view, Mr Larmour and his colleagues felt they had little option but to indicate that the UK for its part would probably be content with the proposed arrangement provided the members of the House of Assembly, as representatives of the people of Seychelles, agreed. From our point of view, the settlement seemed, on reflection, to be a sensible one energing naturally from the constitutional developments of the previous nine months; and one which could reasonably be expected to lead to a successful Constitutional Conference and early independence.
Second Constitutional Conference: January 1976
19. By the time the Second Constitutional Conference met at Marlborough House in January 1976 under the chairmanship of
Mr Ted Rowlands MP, the Seychelles parties had been as good as their word and had produced joint proposals covering every aspect of the problems which had caused so much contention at the First Conference: the size and composition of the legislature; the electoral system; the date of the next election (1979); the entrenchment provisions of the Constitution guaranteeing the rights of minorities; the judicature; the powers of the President; the Executive; and the powers of the Assembly. Given the degree of political animosity between Mancham and Renė in the pat, the UK delegation were struck by their agreement to follow so closely the Constitution of Zambia which provides for strong Presidential rule; and by the relatively nebulous role provided for the Prime Minister. It is possible to conclude that René was content with this arrange- ment on the calculation that he will in due course succeed Mancham.
At all
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