BACKGROUND
RESTRICTED
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1. The Mauritian Government.is likely, either during the 1990/1 or 1991/2 Parliamentary Sessions, to obtain sufficient support for the passage of a Mauritius Republic Bill. UK legislation will be needed to adjust to this new constitutional situation.
2. An earlier attempt to pass the Bill failed in August 1990 becuse
of political rivalries in Prime Minister Jugnauth's ruling coalition
rather than divisions of principle on Republican status.
We understand that Mauritius is likely to wish to retain appeals
to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. In this case speedy
legislation here will be needed to ensure pending appeals are not
3.
lost.
4.
No provision was made a year ago for the 1990/1 Parliamentary
Session.
The Privy Council and Cabinet Office are aware at official
level that legislation could be required in 1990/1. In this event an approach would need to be made by Ministers to the Lord
President for a Bill to be included in the current session. But
feathers have to be smoothed in Mauritius over this issue, and the
best guess is that it will surface in the 1991/2 Session.
5. The Department has resisted a suggestion by Legal Advisers that
this Bill be excluded in favour of the Hong Kong (Appeals) Bill.
Both are important.