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opposition to independence at this stage. If the results of their soundings were not clear, they might go for a referendum.
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Reverting to the role of the Governor, Mr Gibbons said that Sir Peter Ramsbotham wished to give greater prominence to the Government and to raise its profile. The question of control of the police was one example but certain other measures, which
Mr Gibbons outlined, were also envisaged, eg moving the site of the Cabinet Office, establishing a residence for the Premier, etc.
6. Dr Owen said that he was quite content with the proposed new arrangement for control of the police. Mr Gibbons expressed his grati- tude and said that Sir Peter Ramsbotham believed that support for the local forces in Bermuda had languished because they were too closely associated with the Governor. He wished to see if there was. any way in which a Minister could be more closely involved, although there was no suggestion that the Bermudian Government should take on any responsibility in the defence field since this could be very unpopular. Indeed, if Bermuda became independent, they would need a defence arrangement involving perhaps the United Kingdom or the United States.
7.
Mr Gibbons said that Bermuda was establishing close relations with Canada, initially through Canada's new joint approach to aid to the West Indies whereby the Canadian Government provided the cash but used local expertise to administer it. This new liaison with Canada would be particularly useful if Bermuda became independent because they would need the support of a larger power, eg in negotiating air agreements, but would not want to have a big brother quite as large as the United States. Canada already had a small military presence in Bermuda.
8.
At the end of the meeting Mr Gibbons again urged Dr Owen to visit Bermuda if at all possible. He would find Bermudian society very interesting and cited as an example Bermuda's successful mixed black and white secondary schools which had been shown to have a higher academic standard than separate black and white schools. Mr Gibbons also mentioned that the Bermudian Government were engaging some American black social psychologists to look into the problem of better integration between the races lower down the social scale. Dr Owen said that he would like to visit Bermuda and would keep Mr Gibbons' kind invitation in mind. However, he was trying to cut down the amount of travelling he had to do.
9. The meeting ended at 1750 hours.
Distribution
PS (2)
WIAD
PS/Mr Rowlands
NAD
PS/PUS
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Stratton
Mr Stephen
Defence Dept
Planning Staff
Sir Peter Ramsbotham, Hamilton Chancery, Ottawa
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