CONFIDENTIAL
4.
Reference
In the Turks and Caicos the solution might be to put the short term tough criminals in Grand Turk and the long term "harmless" murderers somewhere in a remote Caicos island. Mental patients went happily to the Eahamas. The BVI and the Caymans planned to separate their police and prisons forces when funds allows.
45. It was concluded that transportation could not be ruled out as a temporary answer but that island dependencies should seek their own long term solution in their own territories. WIAD should establish whether or not prisoners could be removed out of the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State.
MISCELLANEOUS
Regional Audit
46. Mr Britton outlined preliminary ideas for a regional audit service. There was general approval. We had to look forward to the time when we could no longer trust the local Auditor General. While we continued to provide aid, proper audit conduct was essential. The Caymans would see the system replacing the Comptroller and Auditor General of Jamaica as their present external auditor while maintaining their existing internal audit system; Montserrat would need to look at costs; Anguilla would welcome any arrangement to despatch Anguillan business more efficiently. lowever, Grand Turk was not thought to be a good place to station the peripatetic auditor. Extra expatriate staff should be 100s or from the Corps of Specialists; they should not come into the budgetary aid sums. Full proposals taking these views into account would now be prepared and, after consideration in London, would be put to OAGs for their govern- ments' approval.
DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
47. There was a short discussion of a recent ODM proposal for a new method of development funding designed to be less vulnerable to PAC criticism. Preliminary reactions were that Belize would resist this, fearing long delays in making refunds, and the lurks and Caicos could not afford it for the same reason. It was pointed out that the Associated States had jibbed when the system was introduced for them but now liked it. OAGs would comment to Dev Div when their reasurers had examined the proposal in detail.
DEATH PENA LAY
48.
There was general agreement that the death penalty was an anachronism in British dependencies; but it was recognised nevertheless that local Ministers bitterly resented being asked to abolish it. Cases for commutation would shortly come up in the BVI and Belize; executions could take place in both territories.
that
49. The Conference suggested two possible ways forward: IIMC command the abolition of the death penalty or, less directly, that Hi should make it widely known that a convicted murderer would in the end always be reprieved.
/EUROPEN DEVELOPMENT FUND
11 COFFINENTAL
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