TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 29

the appointment of a Superintendent in 1786. Twelve years later

during the war with Spain a Spanish flotilla, making the last and greatest attempt to overthrow the British settlement, was defeated at the Battle of St George's Cay. In 1862 the first Lieutenant

Governor was appointed under the Governor of Jamaica and in 1884

the first full Governor. But Belize retained, as it does to this

day the unique privilege of enacting its own sonstitution:

history has thus taught Belize a certain independence of attitude towards constitution making.

4.

During a visit to Belize last year (described in my despatch of 14 June 1973) Mr Anthony Kershaw, then Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, was presented by

Belize Ministers with a request for devolution of further con- stitutional powers. There was also a proposal to change the

legislature from a bicameral to a unicameral system, but this is

- a matter largely for the politicians of Belize to settle: it

poses little difficulty of principle for Britain and needs no

comment here. The areas in which Ministers looked for a further

shift of power away from the Governor were the police, the civil

service and external affairs. The suggestion about external

affairs was ill defined; but we have since then offered Reliz:

Ministers a specific delegation of powers in relation to the

Caribbean Community and the Letters Patent have been amended

accordingly. I do not think any further response is required

on that point. For the rest no formal answer has been returned

to the proposals, nor has one been asked for. But it may be

prudent to consider the stance we should adopt toward such demanus

if, as I expect, they are reiterated at or after the general

election which is due to be held later this year.

3.

CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL

15.