TNAG-0824-FCO40-1032-Terms-of-service-of-Governors-1979 — Page 67

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Turks and Caicos (folio 35): Mr Strong complains that allowances are inadequate. We have taken this point up. He supports the case for HMG to pay for mid-tour leave.

2. We can deal with the small points separately but the three main points, which Governors generally support, are:-

(i) We pay mid-tour passages

(ii) Annual leave in most cases

(iii) Topping-up duty allowances for non-DS Governors

3. Mid-tour Passages: I suggest that we find out from ODM in which Dependent Territories ODM pays leave passages, or part of leave passage, from OSAS funds. We should then get CSD to agree to our paying leave passages for Governors in the same DTs where it is causing Governors political embarrassment or the DT cannot afford it. I see no case for us to pay for leave passages in Bermuda.

4. Annual leave: If we take this up with CSD, we will, I'm sure, have difficulties. We got 18 month tours for OSAS officers (and Governors) some years ago after a considerable fight. If we can get agreement for us to pay leave passages we can then recall Governors annually for talks, and leave, and also pay wife's passage as well. I doubt if annual leave is justified in all cases - it is for Belize, Falklands, Turks and Caicos and probably Montserrat. Normally the Caymans and BVI wouldn't justify annual leave, but when the Governor in the Caymans or BVI is under pressure (eg elections, Royal visit etc) recall may well be warranted.

5.

Topping-up duty allowances from FCO funds: I see no reason why we should not put up a case for this to CSD but we need to arrange a system of inspection so that, where possible, duty allowance pro- vision in local estimates can be revised periodically to recover most, if not all, the cost.

27 February 1979

O.K., let us now go

Hall

Hong Kong and General Department

ahead with our case to CSD to enable is to pay for leave journeys and topping up duty allowances for non DS Governors

2.

What I mggest we should go for is not a hard and fust rule, ent discretion to be able to pay for leave in cases where we fear that Governors may not otherwise get it, or may get it only at the cost of sowing relations with the's local governments. His would then enable us to

pay

in places

libe