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added to the Dutch Cabinet when matters concerning the Kingdom were involved. There were other arrangements designed to ensure that the oversea components could make themselves heard at the executive level of government but no representation in the metropolitan parliament. With the independence of Surinam, these arrangements had broken down and as agreement on plans for the independence in 1981 of the Netherlands Antilles as a whole, which had been offered, seemed most improbable, the Dutch were likely to be left with the smaller islands, or have to offer them each independence.
It was ironic that, after taking such a different route, the Dutch seemed likely to end up with a similar dilemma to ours.
Discussion
In discussion it was thought unrealistic to expect progress through trying to involve the EEC in sharing administration responsibilities for our remaining dependent territories although pressure stemming from the Common Market could just possibly result in Guadeloupe and Martinique seeking independence.
Although there was no obvious relevance for us in these three countries' colonial policies, there could be useful lessons to be learned from their, and other metropolitan powers', economic and administrative procedures.
SESSION 5: ROUND UP AND CONCLUSIONS
The Chairman suggested that, in trying to draw conclusions from the previous day's discussions, answers should be sought to three questions:
(i) Whether we should be seeking to decolonise?
(ii) If so, how should we be doing it?
(iii) What role should the aid programme play?
On the first point, there was a clear consensus that we should be seeking to decolonise, even in those territories that have not so far shown any inclination to seek independence.
In
On the second point, fears were expressed that we had allowed our- selves to become too bound by an established formula that had been developed originally to deal with much bigger territories. For small territories we must be prepared to be much more flexible. particular, in deciding how independence is to be achieved, we should seek to involve more than just the established political organisations (whose main concern is likely to be to preserve their power after independence).
On aid, it was pointed out that in most Caribbean territories the social infrastructure has been completed to a high standard and much of the basic economic infrastructure had also been put in, but would need to be expanded to support investment. There is an urgent requirement for management expertise and aid administrators. The aim should be to encourage investment aimed at achieving economic viability, which means investing in the private sector and, in
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