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At the next stage the PSC became executive, that is to say it offered recommendations to the Governor. The Governor was required to accept these recommendations except that in some Territ- ories he could once refer the recommendation back to the PSC for reconsideration.
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5.
The aim of the PSC machinery was so far as possible to insulate appointments, promotions and the discipline of the Public Service from political interference. The system did, however, recognise the importance of inviting appropriate political interest in the Service and so, for example, some senior posts could only be filled after consultation with the Prime Minister.
6. As a result of the transfer of responsibility to PSC's, by the time of independence Colonial Regulations no longer applied and all the provisions were included either in the Constitution or in the Public Service Regulations as amended at the various stages on the introduction of ministerial government, internal self-government etc.
7.
I happen to have my copy of the Bahamas Constitution and I enclose a copy of the relevant sections. Although we have copies ourselves of some of the pre-independence constitutions of former dependencies, we would be grateful if you could now put in hand an exercise to indicate on the basis of passed precedents the various stages in which the Secretary of State devolved his powers in respect of the public service in dependent territories to the Government of that territory. Some of this devolution may have been part of the various Public Service Agreements which were entered into at these stages since the effect of these stages was often to increase the pace of localisation and meant that some of the promotion prospects of expatriates, in particular, appointed by the Secretary of State were reduced.
8. I shall be examining all this in greater detail with Martin Rowlands, but I wanted you to be aware we were embarking on this course which
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