O-FATA PER
PERUNT
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
in Suction Telephone 2-2587 96
Deputy Governor's Office HF 2GD.
Government House, Bermuda
Copy to Anderon
Then go wit
5.6
Your ref. HWB 012/2
Our ref. DGO 1/6
PC Duff Esq
West Indian and Atlantic Departmen: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Dear Patrick
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
30 May, 1978
нка
HKG 38672
YNO. 51
RECENT
- 7 JUN 1978
DESK C INDEX
No
све
RESTRY Action Takent
Many thanks for your letter of 18 May, albeit that we are somewhat disappointed by its contents.
se
2. On the Prerogative of Mercy, we recognize that, by leaving responsibility with the Governor, ou should reduce the chances that the law will ever again take ts course. On the other hand, should it ever do so the Secretary protected; and, as the Creech Jone have expected him to want all the are inclined to think that the dec We nevertheless accept that the ma and do not propose to try and reop n it now.
of State would be less well
doctrine is to stand, we should rotection possible. Hence we sion reached may prove a mistake. ter has been thoroughly considered,
3. On the question of the Premie 's say in the appointment of certain senior officers, we share our view that Dick Posnett's counter-proposals seem non-starter in local circumstances; and should prefer not to air them. We shall therefore, simply shelve our own proposal - resurrecting the subjec if a problem again arises. (None has for almost four years, and non is likely to whilst David Gibbons remains Premier. So, although we gree with Dick that the present position is "unhealthy", we do not anticipate any trouble in the foreseeable future).
..
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4. Finally, we will gladly explose the local acceptability of Dick's counter-proposal about the appointment of a Chief Justice, subject to two comments. First, we are doubt ul whether the Premier will go along with it and whether the Le der of the Opposition will be satisfied, even if he does. And s cond, Lord Pitt has, without any prompting from us, himself come up with a proposal that the Constitution should be amended to provide fornsultation with the Leader of the Opposition, as well as with the Pr nier, about a range of matters, of which this might be one. We have told him of your reservations (a
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Cont'd