TNAG-0205-FCO40-241-Pensions-policy-1970 — Page 84

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference....

R&R

(8)

Mr. O'Brien

F.P.A.D.

similar to

that

X

Pension Policy

The point concerning the Caribbean

Commonwealth countries arises from the ODM paper attached to your minute of 5 November. If it is too late for it to be considered with those papers I hope that it can be taken when ODM's draft policy paper to D.V.0. is considered.

2.

This point is that ODM's proposals do not seem to provide for pensioners of one Caribbean territory who are belongers of another. I have no idea of the numbers involved but imagine that it must form a fair proportion of local pensioners in the area since it was normal in the Caribbean colonial territories before independence to seek employment (including government employment) outside one's island of origin.

3. ODM tell me that they are aware of these problem, and they say that it is just one of many which will have to be worked out. However, it seems to me to be fundamental, since if the scheme is limited to expatriates on principle, there is obviously a danger (to which Mr. Le Tocq has drawn attention in the East African context) of our coming under fire for racial discrimination in the not unlikely event of one Caribbean country reneguing on its pension obligations to the belongers of another.

(J. D. Blakeway) Caribbean Department 10 November, 1969

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51 11 NOV 1969

HKK 18,

35

Copies to:

Mr. Combs

Mr. McCarthy, Arabian Dept.

Mr. Dalton, Central & S.African Mr. Stewart, Hong Kong Dept. Mr. Miller, N.African Dept. Miss Swann, S. Asian Dept. Mr. Munro, S.V. Pacific Dept. Mr. McQuiggan,W. African Dept. Miss Sinclair, S.E. Asian Dept. Mr. Fairclough, West Indian Dept. Mr. Le Tocq, East African Dept.

CONFIDENTIAL