TNAG-0724-FCO40-922-Policy-on-use-of-Prerogative-of-Mercy-1978 — Page 42

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20. Mr Cortazzi then turned to the paper on kace Relations. He said the Royal Commission would be playing a major role in this area and asked if the PLP were the main problem. Sir P Ramsbotham said the main danger was a polarisation of the races which nearly happened as a result of the disturbances. Attitudes needed to be changed on both sides. He was trying to persuade the businessmen and bankers for example that it was in their long-term interests to employ black Bermudian staff rather than to seek expatriates to fill skilled jobs, although this might lead to a lowering of standards in the short-term. The Bermuda Government were well aware of the problems and were getting advice from a number of sources including experts from the United States on community and race relations.

21. Mr Cortazzi then referred to the paper on Constituencies and the Franchise. He asked whether the arrangements for registration, which were not covered in the paper, were capable of improvement. The Governor replied that they were the object of PLP attacks: the Govern- ment had just produced a Bill which would provide for annual re- registration, but which proposed that passes should be required for the purposes of identification. The PLP had attacked this Bill and their continuing opposition could be expected. On the question of munici pal elections which Mr Cortazzi also mentioned, Sir P Ramsbotham said that a new bill was proposed to enfranchise all tax payers in the municipalities.

22. In conclusion Mr Cortazzi thanked the Governor and said that we would welcome being kept informed of Bermudian affairs in greater detail than had been necessary before the riots. There was now a greater interest in Bermuda and in dependent territories as a whole. Belize and Hong Kong, for instance, had been very much in the headlines recently. It was important that Ministers should be up-to-date with all developments in the Dependent Territories. Sir P Ramsbotham said that although his position as a Governor was different from that of an Ambassador, he nevertheless saw the need for keeping the Department closely informed on Bermudian affairs and would make a point of doing this in future.

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