TNAG-1218-FCO40-1523-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1983 — Page 61

BACKGROUND

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1.

The 13 remaining Dependent Territories are with

populations in parenthesis:

Anguilla (7,000)

Bermuda (55,000)

British Antarctic Territory (no indigenous population) British Indian Ocean Territory (no indigenous population)

British Virgin Islands (11,000)

Cayman Islands (17,000)

Falkland Islands and Dependencies (1,800)

Gibraltar (29,800)

Hong Kong (5,300,000)

Montserrat (12,100)

Pitcairn Group of Islands (approximately 50)

St Helena and Dependencies (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha) (6,500)

Turks and Caicos Islands (7,500)

1.

The views of the Government of the territory are given

due weight when considering constitutional advance though it is

not of course possible, in the absence of any decision to

proceed to independence at any early date, to accede to demands which would erode HMG's ability to discharge its responsibilities. Political development stops short of full

internal self-government where territories choose to remain

dependent or where independence is not an option. In such

cases, the British Government, through the Governor, retains

overall responsibility for:

(i)

external affairs;

(ii) defence:

(iii) internal security;

administration of the public service;

(iv)

(v)

judiciary.

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