TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 138

Discuss Rondy

The p

HKG.025/1

2 2 MAR 1779

*

5

Mr Duff (WIAD)

No

Cc:

田

Mr Stratton

Mr McLaren (HKGD) (without enc)

Thank you for your minute of 2 February about the draft despatch on the dependencies. I agree that on re-reading it does need some adjustment and, in the hope that it may be helpful, Ihave prepared a revised draft which I hope follows a more logical sequence. I have made some slight amendments of substance as follows:

2.

(a) opening paragraph gives a little more information

about developments since 1975 and explains what we have in mind about making our policy public. Since the Bridgetown conference did not include several Governors from other regions I have adjusted the reference;

(b) I have made specific reference to the Governors'

powers to delegate to Ministers, for example on the police and external affairs, lest some Governors should assume that it was the intention to abandon such arrangements in future (eg Bermuda, Belize);

(c)

(a)

I have tried in paragraph 5 to give more emphasis to the positive side of our policy to achieve

a better balance;

I have expanded the piece on aid but this may require further development.

I think it important that the draft despatch should be circulated in advance to all Governors giving them the opportunity to comment. If it is to be our long-term basis of policy, it is important that we have all the nuances right and Governors may well be able to draw our attention to anomalies which we need to cover or to suggest improve- ments in phraseology • It is particularly important of course for Governors who were not present at the Bridgetown conference. This seems to me more important than any idea of haste in issuing the despatch.

3. I mentioned at the conference the problem of issuing such a despatch prior to a general election lest its terms be afterwards called in question either in London or, more likely, by local political leaders. I think this is a point which we cannot evade and perhaps it should be dealt with in the covering letter to Governors inviting their views on the draft. As you know, I feel myself that there might be advantage in not issuing the despatch until`after the election, particularly if we can use the time meanwhile

to let Governors see the draft and gomment on it.

8 February 1979

in Butt

سا

RN POSNETT