TNAG-1001-FCO40-1237-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-including--Report-of-the-1981 — Page 204

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ANGUILLA: CONSTITUTIONAL CHANCE cou

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With formal separation from St Kitts-Nevis now only perhaps some six weeks or so away and with the prospect of a debate in Parliament I am anxious that we should consider where we stand on the question of constitutional change in Anguilla.

2.

In April, we put it to Anguilla (folio 11 and enclosure) that, as the present Constitution will need in any case to be amended following on formal separation, we should at the same time make some modest constitutional advance. In May, there was а general election in Anguilla. In August (folio 26) we tried again to get Anguillan minds to concentrate on the issue. This only resulted in Anguillan Ministers producing a draft which seem to amount to an Associated State constitution (which is not on offer) see folio 28.

3.

It would obviously be neat and tidy to make at least the consequential changes necessary at the same time as formal separation. But it is not essential to do so and, since we would need to clear even consequential changes with Anguilla, we would no doubt be immediately faced with demands for either a Statehood or an ISG Constitution, neither of which we could accept. We could of course let sleeping dogs lie, but with Anguilla becoming a separate dependent territory, I think we owe it to Mr Godden to see that he becomes a Governor, in the reasonably near future, rather than continue as a slightly second class head of government.

4. Perhaps we could discuss where we go from here. One possible move forward (if I get to the Barbados conference in January) would be for me to go on to Anguilla, lay it on the line with Anguillan Ministers that they will not get an Associated Statehood or ISG Constitution; and try to persuade them to accept our modest proposals. If they do not accept, we would make it clear that we will have no alternative but to go ahead with the consequential amendments only.

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CODE 18-77

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11 NOV 1280

4.4. Lan

30 October 1980

W W Wallace

West Indian and Atlantic Dept

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