TNAG-0715-FCO40-911-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-4 — Page 49

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Guy's Spectacles

are a very deel oose

colour

A small digression to explain what I mean by respect.

We both share memories of Africa in by-gone days. In my district there were 30 local police under my control: in my armoury were 6 very old shot guns, of which only 2 worked and we had 6 rounds of out-of-date ammunition. Force was emblematic, was never used and was never necessary. Government was based on traditional respect. I believe by and large this was the same in India and elsewhere: the power of Government was never doubted, it was obeyed and the dictates of Whitehall were never challenged then as they are now by such mice as the Turks and Caicos Islands. But once respect has gone - and for whatever amalgam of reasons gone it has, the loss is irretrievable. Even so, if territories are to remain dependent, we must be prepared to show firmness and try to re-establish what respect we can despite the adverse climate of this anti-authoritarian age.

For this group of territories there seems to me then to be the following choices:

1. Despite the difficulties proceed to independence, giving an adequate financial incentive, eg a dowry of sufficient War Loan to go with. This is not likely to he acceptable - the territories have no hope of managing on their own.

2.

Offer a financial incentive to achieve autonomy in a regional grouping. I did try to link up the Turks and Caicos Islands with the Bahamas - and the Turks would then have agreed, but the Bahamas refused. Perhaps if a dowry had been offered, things would have heen different. I doubt if the Turks, now they have ministers who have tasted power, would agree, even if the Bahamas would. They of course, much after my time there, the idea was mooted that lurks should become a Canadian province, but the Canadians showed no enthusiasm for this.

Is there then any prospect of a grouping between Turks, Montserrat and BVI? I should not think so, for they have little in common and no knowledge of each other. What other kinds of regional association then are possible? Although different prospects may emerge in the future. I doubt if this possihility offers much at present.

The third choice, which can be offered as an alternative to the first of going independent with a dowry to go with, is to remain a dependent territory with a reduced constitutional status. hc territories' Governments would be reduced to the level of County Councils dealing with Social Welfare and Services, Eduction and Public Works: it would be necessary to hold the line firmly and refrain from consulting local politicians on all subjects as a matter of course. It seems we could only possibly get away with. this if we were to offer amalgamation with the UK eventually and this is not really appropriate for the Caribbean territories, though the French have done it in Guadeloupe and Martinique successfully enough.

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

NAL ̄AND

/S0