TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 34

of the Police Force to the cluctud government and its policios.

This is almost precisely the argument which was adduced by

Mr Pindling and accepted by IG at the Bahamas Constitutional

Conference of 1968. But it was not long before the other side

of the coin began to appear and by 1971 Sir Francis Cumming-Bruce, then Governor of the Bahamas, was reporting to you that he could

no longer rely on the loyalty of the police in the event of his

having to suspend entrustment to a Minister and to resume direct

control over the Force. Indeed since the need to revoke such

entrustment would only arise in a critical situation, say during

a general election campaign, when Ministers' susceptibilities

would be aroused, such action would be almost certain to provoke

a violent reaction and perhaps a constitutional crisis. Hence

in practical and political though not in legal terms an entrust-

ment would be difficult to revoke. It was doubtless in light

of these factors that certain Governors were advised in 1971 that

British Ministers would wish to see them retain responsibility for

internal security and the police up to the time when an early

date had been fixed for independence; and that Governors would

have your support in resisting proposals for entrustment of this

responsibility to local Ministers.

12. Looking now at the position here one finds that nowhere in

the Belize Constitution is it specified that control of the police

as such shall vest in the Governor. Primary responsibility for

law and order (short of internal security) rests with the Minister

of Home Affairs and the Attorney General. Control by the

Minister of Home Affairs over budgetary provision for the Force

puts him in a position where he is clearly answerable to the

National Assembly and the instrument by which he is appointed

/specifies

8.

CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL