CODE 18-77
SS 10/76
Mr Stewart
HK&GD
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
Reference HKA 431
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 27 JAN1978
DESK OFFICER
EGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
GOVERNORSHIP TURKS AND CAICOS
(Mr Alexander's minute)
I still feel we are being squeezed in order to make life easier for the Personnel posters and would like the reply to be on the following lines:
"We understand POD's problem and the desire to make Mr Strong as attractive an offer as possible for the last stage of his career. What they are suggesting however is a posting of about 2 years less mid-tour leave in Grand Turk and some- thing considerably under 2 years in the Cayman Islands. This is not satisfactory. It will not give time for the Governor to make an effective contribution to his territory and in particular will not allow him to build up that degree of confidence in his administration which is essential if we are to be able to move either of these territories nearer to the independence which is our objective. I therefore stick to my earlier advice that Mr Strong should be appointed for 3 years.
If this is not agreeable to POD we need to look elsewhere. In the Department's view there is no candidate better qualified than Mr Dale. He would accept an appointment on the usual basis of 3 years (with the possibility of an extension if it suited us). I wonder therefore whether we should not invite Mr Rowlands to re-consider his earlier decision in the light of Mr Dale's skilful and sympathetic handling of Turks Ministers in London last month and the remarkably positive personal relationship he was able to establish with them.
I would be very grateful for an opportunity to discuss this with Mr Rowlands and to enlarge on the above arguments."
C.C. HKA431/487/1
HUPF/STRONG/JC
PcJ
PC Duff
West Indian and Atlantic Department
20 January 1978
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
a