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b) whether British policy, especially aid policy, should
c)
always be directed towards the creation of conditions
which would make independence sustainable;
whether the British Government remain prepared to
contemplate any other arrangement than complete
independence or continuing dependency.
4. On the first point, there is general agreement that the
experience of recent years shows it to be necessary for Governors
to retain certain fundamental responsibilities if the British
Government are to fulfil their international obligations in
respect of Dependent Territories. The attached draft defines
what the minimum reserved powers should be, as recommended by
the Governors themselves and by the departments in London
responsible for the administration of the Dependent Territories.
In fact in two territories, Bermuda and Belize, certain aspects
of these recommended reserved powers have already been delegated
to local governemnts. It is not suggested that in these cases
the delegated powers should now be retrieved: but the unanimous
recommendation of those we have consulted is that there should
be no further delegation of responsibility in these areas.
5. On the second point, the question that has arisen in the
past is whether we should attempt to develop territories to a
standard above that which they can
which they can ever hope to sustain from
This question arose from the belief that,
their own resources.
in order to aspire to independence, territories should aim to
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