B Berry Esq Belize House BELMOPAN
CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01-
233 4828
19
Your reference
Our reference
Date
HKG 205/461/1 26 July 1978
16
thea 205/2
Y NO. 51
26 JUL 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
Yes. nya &
1. Your letter (reference 205/1) of 18 July 1978 asked for our views On Mr McCain's Memorandum (2348/4/78(57)) of 17 July 1978 concerning proposals which have been submitted to government for the running of the postage stamp business in Belize.
2. We have no objection to your assuming responsibility for postage stamps, subject to the need for us to obtain Royal approval where appropriate. As however we have not been shown the proposals, nor been told the name of the firm in question, it is difficult for us to give specific advice. We can only ask that the Government should be fully alert to the dangers of allowing any outside agent to gain control over stamps when revenue from that source is of such considerable importance in the budget. Our Memorandum on Stamp Policy set out some of the dangers and we would draw particular attention to paragraphs 14 - 16.
3. If, despite our recommendation of the Crown Agents, you decide to terminate the contract with them, perhaps I should mention that six months' notice to terminate will be required. I would suggest that Mr McCain be asked to look very closely indeed at any proposals which promise greatly increased profits in the near future these are usually achieved only at the expense of long-term revenue pros- pects and very often by jeopardising a country's good reputation in philatelic circles.
4.
If the Belize Government would like our assistance in making some assessment of specific. proposals we should be only too happy to help.
CONFIDENTIAL
N Farrell (Miss)
Hong Kong and General Departmen