Spe?
posit
CONFIDENTIAL
[28]
West Indies; and the remainder who obtained their citizenship either by connection with former colonies which when they became independent did not
other confer the new citizenship on them, or by some previous overseas connection with the United Kingdom.
26. The previous Government concluded that the best arrangement (for dealing with such people would be to make all of them British Overseas Citizens. There are Every good arguments in favour of this proposal; there would be the
and
common factor that all of the people concerned Jack a eloce connection with the United Kingdom but are connected with its previous overseas acitivities]
was between the two categories it would be possible to prescribe differing rights to pass on citizenship
so that in the long term one would achieve the aim of limiting British
Overseas Citizenship to people connected with remaining colonies.
27.
The Government are however impressed with the argument, supported by some
correspondents, that citizenship ought to give positive recognition to the
dependencies status of the remaining colonies. Our overseas dependencies are decreasing
two colonies, as well as the remaining protectorate and two Associated States in the West Indies, have achieved full independence since
the Green Paper was published. But
in number:
dependent territories remain,
plus 2 Associated States for which the United Kingdom has some responsibility. A list of these territories, showing their populations, is at Appendix C.
It has been suggested in a number of quarters that some colonies should have 8 their own citizenships, and this view is supported in some of the colonies
themselves.
28. The Government do not think it is really practicable to establish individual citizenships for each of the dependent territories, which vary in size, expectation and political organisation.
E
and the Gorsement
.t
Licht
7
But they think that a good case can be made for etablishing a citizenship-
for the colonies as a whole, and Although the views expressed are not
unanimous, there has been considerable support for the establishment of such
for the dipendencied of a citizenships The Government will propose in the Bill that there shall be a separate citizenship. The most suitable title for those people who have close connections with the remaining dependent territories might be Citizens
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