CONFIDENTIAL/ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE
12. In the immediate run up to independence Mr Major has been handling the statutory procedures, including two Orders in Council, for the return of the islands. A "critical path" is attached at Annex A to illustrate what has been involved. He has also been winding up the affairs and finances of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Problems include disposal
of a coconut estate owned by HM government and administered on an agency basis and of a ship owned by the administration. The Territory has been financed by an annual item of £25,000 on the FCO vote, and the geographical desk administers this in consultation with Finance department.
13. Once the Seychelles is independent Mr Major will be transferred to take on a normal geographical desk officer's role in East African department. He will take with him responsibility for questions arising out of the resettlement (in Mauritius) of the inhabitants displaced from Diego Garcia, and for the Vencatassen case - a case against HM Government for unlawful eviction etc by one of the Diego Garcia workers. There has been a question as to whether East African department or Defence department should then take over the residual responsibility for the administration of Diego Garcia. We recommend that, unless there is an overriding political objection, the responsibility should be transferred with Mr Major into EAD. He knows the subject and it will give him a full DS 6 job. East African department have the capacity to accept the relatively small extra workload involved; Defence department have not.
14. Mr Hinton's main function over the past year has been the preparation of briefs and participation as Assistant Secretary- General in two constitutional conferences. He is now responsible for shepherding the Independence Bill, the Independence Order and Constitution through all stages. A critical path illustrating the complexity of this process is attached at Annex B. At the time of our inspection he was drafting a second reading speech and checking and proof-reading the Seychelles Independence Order. He was also checking the text of a COI pamphlet and a Commonwealth Secretariat paper on the Seychelles.
15.
Mr Horne has provided support to the other two members of the section during the constitutional discussions and is now. directly responsible for all preparations for Seychelles independence celebrations. These involve him in liaison with the Ministry of Defence, the Crown Agents, and other outside organisations. He also handles enquiries from the public, assistance needed by other government Departments in contacting the Seychelles authorities, and the checking of references to the Seychelles and BIOT in Hansard, Order Papers etc.
5.
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/16.