TNAG-1001-FCO40-1237-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-including--Report-of-the-1981 — Page 11

CONFIDENTIAL

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Cayman Islands:

A membership, or embryo Ministerial, system. Cayman islanders believe present constitution well suited to circumstances and resist moves towards independence.

-∞

Falkland Islands:

Governor has full powers, but there are Executive and Legislative Councils. Overriding political issue is dispute with Argentina. Islanders resist Argentine claim to sovereignty; want to remain British. No pressure for independence.

Gibraltar:

C

Ministerial system of government; Governor has usual reserved powers. Independence not an option for political reasons (Article 10 of the Treaty of Utrecht: if Gibraltar ceases to be a UK dependency, Spain has first claim on territory). 1967 referedum confirmed overwhelmingly Gibraltarians' wish to retain UK connections. Hong Kong: Constitutional advance hampered by fact that lease ceding New Territories to UK expires in 1997. Hong Kong has Executive and Legislative Councils (appointed members only) which advise Governor. Montserrat: A Ministerial system of Government; very few powers remain to Governor. No indications of wish to proceed to independence; but this could change at any time.

1/g:

6

The Islands of Pitcairn, Ducie, Oeno and Henderson:

inhabited;

full powers;

Only Pitcairn

population 70. Governor (resident in New Zealand) has

Islanders elect their own representative, Island Magistrate. Independence not feasible.

Pa

о

St Helena and Dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha): Governor has full powers; advised by Legislative and Executive Councils. Administrators of Tristan da Cunha and Ascension, with equally full powers, are responsible to the Governor of St Helena. Indpendence probably not feasible for St Helena and Tristan, nor do people want it. Ascension has no indigenous population.

Governor

Turks and Caicos Islands: A Ministerial system of Government; retains usual reserved powers. General election held on 4 November 1980; the governing party, which previously favoured independence in 1982, but had recently abandoned such a stance, was defeated. Incoming Government not opposed to independence but considers that a few years should be devoted to strengthening the economy.

CONFIDENTIAL