TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 97

CONFIDENTIAL

-7.

<

DSR 11C

9.

Economic development, however, is the main problem and must be the basis of any infrastructure to be built up to

support a colony's independence. We are not concerned to force independence on reluctant mini-territories but it should

be possible to offer financial aid and development of resources as inducement for most Dependencies to move to independence.

The Caribbean Territories

10.

These five Colonies are of some interest in the story of decolonisation. Their apparent reluctance to become independent may be partly explained by the fact that the islands do not derive from indigenous populations but are the descendants of slaves, mostly from America. They do not,

therefore, have a cultural entity. Apart from Bermuda, there has been no long-term economic development in any of these territories although some Aid has been provided by ODM. There has been no planned introduction of agriculture, industry, or training and education. Nor has there been any help from technical personnel. The resulting development has been haphazard in the extreme. This lack of economic prosperity may well explain the lack of political personalities,and absence of enthusiasm for independence in these islands. As is obvious, Bermuda is the exception, probably because its steady economic growth has encouraged political activity.

A. These Colonies need some stimulus to spur them on towards nationhood. Without this many of them could drift along in their present state for a long time to come and we would have to prolong their dependent status indefinitely, all the while being forced to devolve more and more responsibility to them. The problem we now have in Bermuda would be compounded

Proposals for Independence

12.0 On the other hand we could take positive steps now to make these reluctant Colonies become capable of independence though

economic incentives, training education and technical aid. We

have a responsibility in this respect which has too often been neglected in the case of smaller Colonies. Political growth

is stimulated by economic prosperity and it should be possible even at this stage to build up the economies of these small Colonies by a substantial input of Aid in the form of money,

/equipment