TNAG-0699-FCO40-850-Maintenance-of-Government-Houses-in-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 89

I Ma fall forte.

7314 lotte. This

오

Deewa

the

very

fair & wise serving up" situation in BUI

MR. Gall

To see

be

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

Rile

TORTOLA,

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

with other replies to

364/1 sumcised into

C

हूँ. द

18.4573.

J A B Stewart Esq OBE

ед

Hong Kong and General Department

FCO

fran Stewart

MAINTENANCE OF GOVERNMENT HOUSES

wänytill

8

00

Mrs Gregory

NALGASPER

hebeaux 22913

15 March 1978

MKA 364/1 RECEIVED IN SEGISTRY NO. 51

31 MAR 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

اله

PA

1. Thank you for your letter of 21 February on the above subject.

REGISTRY

Action Taken

PX

2. As to my general views on this question, I would agree that the policy set out in Col Reg 281 is right in principle and that while some help from HMG is undoubtedly required in a grant-aided territory, we should nevertheless be careful to preserve the principle that upkeep etc of a Government House is primarily the responsibility of the local Government. I would agree too that we must be modest in our approach. I do not myself believe that a Government House must be kept up to the same immaculate standard as, for example, an Ambassador's official residence. Like an Ambassador, a Governor is The Queen's representative but, unlike an Ambassador, he is very much a part of the local Government and community and I believe that his life-style should not be too far removed from the local scene, at least in the Caribbean. If it were, it would be resented locally; and, in any case, it will probably be impossible to convince a local politician that money provided by HMG for Government House is not in fact coming out of funds which would otherwise be available to the territory as grant-in-aid or development aid. As usual, there is a tight-rope to walk here between preserving the principle in Col Reg 281 and helping where help is really needed but not overdoing it.

3. Turning now to Government House, Tortola, there was, as you say, a large sum spent on the building and furnishings prior to the visit of Princess Margaret in 1972; and, although we have to count every dollar, there is, on the average, a sufficient annual vote for minor repairs and replacement of furnishings and equipment. The real problem in Tortola is maintenance and repair of the fabric. The cost of this is met from the usual PWD maintenance of buildings vote (which is never enough) with the result that every dollar spent on Government House means a dollar less for the hospital, schools etc. At present, there are three major jobs which need to be done and which are beyond our local resources, viz,

Roof repairs

Major rewiring

Staff lavatory (new)

LAGT

REF.

$ 5,000

10,000

3,000

/and,

MENT

37