354/2
P C_Duff Esq WIAD FCO
PERSUNAL AND CONFTUENTIAL
Deas, Paliick,
- 7 JUL 1977
HLA $ 364/501/1
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
THE WEST INDIES,
10 June 1977
1. On my return from leave I have seen the letters from Wyn Jones and Bruce Greatbatch (PC.22/10-11 of 4 May and 16 May respectively) about the maintenance of Government Houses and travel costs for Governors. Perhaps I could add my own comment. 2. Perhaps ironically there has, so far, been no real problem about provision for the maintenance of Government House in Grand Turk,, in terms of local opinion. Although the amount of money is not really sufficient to do more than patch and paint, the Lare
are limitations on increasing it/dictated more by the Governor's
conscience in asking for more rather than resistance in principle to expenditure on it. Such old wooden buildings are of course expensive to maintain and the standard of furnishings, particu- larly by comparison with Department of the Environment efforts in diplomatic posts, very poor. Nevertheless this is not for the time being a problem, here, although I entirely agree that it would be very desirable if the arrangements could be altered in the way suggested.
3. My own grievance as you know relates to the cost of passages; it does seem absurd that the leave passages for expatriate Governors should have to be borne on the budget when all other British staff are separately provided for under long standing arrangements. I would also go further on the question of passages, by saying that I have found it very difficult to travel outside the Turks and Caicos Islands precisely because the cost of doing so has to be borne locally.
4.
May
I endorse very strongly the proposal for one year tours found the contrast between the annual break in Anguilla, and the long stint here very striking in terms of reduced stamina.
1 -
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
/5. I am
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