Mr Wilay
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
mm Vi Thuny
Ja 21/12
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
TORTOLA
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: 1978-81
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VALEDICTORY AND TURNOVER
SUMMARY
1.
Privilege of Governorship.
Difficult arrival:
departure
goodwill. Problems of FCO/BVI understanding. Special weight
on Governor because of direct responsibilities in Capital cases:
anomaly of BVI death penalty - reality not academic: personal
aspects. Strong local feeling for hanging when non-BVIslanders
involved. Growing divergencies between UK and BVI law,
Improvements in police force but problems in Law Officer's
Department. (paras 1-8)
2.
Healthy economy: no poverty. Prosperity based largely on
up-market tourism, notably yacht charters. Growing financial
services (= tax avoidance) sector.
US looming.
Possibilities of oil.
But tax treaty problems with
Ministerial business activity
Efforts by Governor and
and corruption a fact of BVI life.
Financial Secretary to prevent things getting out of hand.
(paras 9-11)
3. BVI politics are personality and pocket-orientated.
Governor
is often Umpire between politicians, and Ombudsman to community.
Older BVI voters value link with Britain. Politicians know this,
but resent Whitehall trammels. Sudden squalls can arise:
needed. 1983 election a foreseeable headache. The post has plenty
of interest.
(paras 12 & 13)
patience
2/20/2