Mr Gorham
Mr Fearn
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HKB 020/7
15)
FROM:
P January
DATE:
CC:
30 March 1989
Mr Pearce, POD
Mr Dew, FID
Mr Footman, EDM
Mr Kirk, SED
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tetem
Mr Man's
THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR
1.
I attach a profile of the DT Governor, based on Mr Scott's memoranda and comments from Mr Fearn and FCO Departments. Since it would be difficult in the course of one document to take account of the vast social and constitutional differences between one territory and another, this paper offers only a generalised profile. As a separate exercise, we may wish to ask each Governor to prepare a paper on his own particular role within the context of the cirumstances of his territory.
2.
In contrast to a typical Ambassador or High Commissioner with his cadre of UK-based staff, a DT Governor is in most cases an isolated figure. It is therefore clearly an enormous advantage to a Governor if he can turn to a senior expatriate official (whether Deputy Governor, Chief Secretary, Attorney General or Financial Secretary) who can be consulted in complete confidence. A senior expatriate appointment of this kind is of course no longer practicable in every DT; a local officer should not be denied promotion, simply because there is a need to provide a 'soul-mate' for the Governor. But, in the case of a DT where such an appointment is not possible, there is a particularly strong case for regular visits from Whitehall - both by the Adviser on Dependent Territories and by officials specifically responsible for that territory.
P January
West Indian and Atlantic Department
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