TNAG-0597-FCO40-744-Future-of-Dependent-Territories-territorial-studies-1977 — Page 153

CODE 18-77

$5 10/76.

CONFT DENTIAL

Reference

had recently provided territories with full instructions on project aid procedures: annual visits to the Division by Financial Secretaries would be valuable in speeding up the process of handling and approving applications.

The

53.

There was general agreement that the meeting had been most useful and that, in spite of the value for OAGs of visiting their colleagues' parishes, the advantages of meeting in DevDiv were overwhelming. It should be repeated every 1 or 2 years. present meeting had not given an opportunity for a wider look at Caribbean political and economic issues and another conference should, if possible, overlap for a day with a Heads of Mission meeting (which next time might well not be in Barbados). BGR Castries should have been invited. The agenda was about right but another conference might also examine how best to engage Canadian and Venezuelan interest in the region's develop- ment. It would not be right to regard the conclusions reached as binding commitments.

The

54. Cost was a problem. OAGO were increasingly embarrassed when they had to ask their politicians for funds for a duty journey of this sort. Could the next conference be financed from regional technical cooperation?

FOLIOW UP NEEDED IN WIAD

a) Possible use of Belize garrison to reinforce local island police.

b) Costs and logistics of a regional guard ship.

c) Can prisoners in dependent territories properly be removed from the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State?

a) Tell West India Committee how to set about being a consultant for the EDF.

a) Next conference to be funded from regional technical cooperation.

1

f) Policy directive on tax havenry.

E) Manpower Surveys (para 26).

17

CONTIDENTIAL

/Present