By 1960, the sun had begun to set on the british empire.
The "Winds of Change" had become reality.
Africans were throwing off their colonial yoke, and marching towards Independence. Momentum was on the side of revolutionary action.
The Colonial Masters, england, france, the dutch, spain, portugal and the usa, were unable to stem the tide. On every front, organised, unified, revolutionary activists out maneuvered them.
In the United Nations, a Resolution was passed in the General Assembly, in 1960, stating-: BY THE YEAR 2000, THERE WOULD BE NO COLONIES LEFT. ALL COUNTRIES NOW HOLDING COLONIES, WERE TO TAKE STEPS TO INSURE, THAT THEIR COLONIES WERE PREPARED TO MOVE TOWARDS AND TAKE THEIR INDEPENDENCE.
To insure that this Resolution was carried out, The Decolonisation Committee was formed. The british government, refused to ratify the Resolution. Unable to halt a People's Right to Determine Their Own Destiny, england proposed an amended Resolution in 1971.
This one stated, BY THE YEAR 2000, ALL REMAINING COLONIES, WOULD BE SEEN TO BE MOVING TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE.
To carry through its proposal, a system was set up for the remaining smaller islands. For a brief moment, england appeared to be following the Resolution that it proposed.
The system known as Associated Statehood, allowed the island, to take charge of its internal affairs. Moving out of GRANTING-AID Status, was the next step. Satisfying the financial constraints, the issue would enter the political arena. If a political platform that called for Independence from england won the election, Independence could be had.
All the remaining islands with progressive and visionary leaders, immediately seized the opportunity and applied for Associated Statehood Status.
On the economic front, british bankers found a loophole to bypass british baking laws by using the Queen's property the Isles of Wight and Man, and OFF-SHORE BANKING came into being.
Suddenly, the colonies, newly classified as deadweight, and useless to the "motherland," offered new potential for further economic exploitation.
In 1973, Montserrat's Chief Minister, P. Austin Bramble made a unilateral decision on the island's future. He proclaimed, Montserrat would not be seeking Associated Statehood Status. The future of Montserrat he stated, lay in its colonial relationship with england. The Chief Ministers of Bermuda and the Cayman Islands also took similar positions.
The british government quickly and quietly announced that the Associated Statehood Status was no longer an option for the remaining colonies.
So when Mr. Cook in his White Paper states ..."the review concluded that the UK should not seek to influence opinion in the territories about independence....",
One can begin to understand the reason for the reversal. The fact that the decision took place in 1973 and not 1987 as he states should also show the full extent of political posturing that this White Paper displays.
Time passed. Anti-Colonial momentum came to a halt. The remaining Colonies, small, distant, and seemingly quite insignificant, with spineless leaders that lacked vision or direction, were forgotten.
By the 80's the Colonial Masters were once again in control of global dynamics. The Decolonisation Committee, was initially fully funded and free to investigate, assist and encourage independence activity in the remaining Colonies. Gradually the Committee's flexibility was reduced.
Direct contact between the Committee and the Colonies now became "interpreted" as interference in the internal affairs of the Administering Power.
The Colonial Masters now submitted reports on their Colonies Independence progress. Invitation to meetings on Decolonisation no longer went to the Colonial government. It was now sent to the Administering Power to forward to their Colonies, at their discretion.
In 1993 england responded to the Committee's invitation to Montserrat to attend the yearly Decolonisation meeting by simply responding, Montserrat has no interest in attending this meeting.
Soon after rejecting Associated Statehood as an option, the Off-Shore-Banking Sector of The Caymans and Bermuda took off. Along with the economic upturn of the islands came an influx of british expatriates to take charge and run the industry.
The British Virgin Islands soon followed, and over the next (1975-1995) 20 years the british population increased to the point where they have come close to equaling the local population.
In all 3 colonies, british expatriates and british firms, totally dominate and control the OFF-SHORE-BANKING Industry.
P. Austin Bramble, lost office before he could establish the system according to british dictates in Montserrat. The new Administration set up a system that involved no british expatriates and took off behind the other three.
With their Crown Colony of Hong Kong in the East, the Caymans in the Caribbean, and the Bank of England in London, the british OFF-SHORE industry dominated and controlled the money market in that Sector.
Quietly, england became the world leader in MONEY LAUNDERING. In the early years before other governments became aware of the potential and use of liquid cash flows england enjoyed a MONOPOLY.
Its tiny colonies, dotted across the globe created an untraceable maze. Cable & Wireless's monopoly in communication, gave british interests total control in the industry.
Once again the Colonies became, lucrative potential that were bearing abundant fruit, ripe for exploitation. The flow, just like the days of rum, sugar and slaves, of "illegal" liquid cash was going directly from the Colonies to england.
Presently, despite slick media coverage on divesting, the british government still holds controlling interest in Cable & Wireless, which is an integral part of the OFF-SHORE-BANKING Industry.
So, when Mr.Cook states in his White Paper... "As participants in the new global order and the new global economy"... "The globalisation of international finance means that we cannot tolerate a weak link anywhere in the chain without exposing investors everywhere to risk".
The picture becomes even clearer. Liquid cash generated through Money Laundering is only legal, when used to oil the machinery for the new global order. Any players that are not members of our exclusive club, will suffer the consequences if they enter our domain. They will be held accountable and charged with corruption.
The year 2000 is fast approaching. For the past 5 years, the Colonial Masters presented their reason why the Decolonisation Committee mandate should cease.
Their Argument goes like this. If after 40 years of decolonisation activity, the Colonies have not changed their Status, it is obvious that they prefer to remain Colonies.
So when Mr.Cook in his White Paper states... "It is a striking measure of the degree to which the Dependent Territories value that partnership that none of their Governments expressed any desire during the review for independence."...
One can understand, why this needs to be said at the highest political level. His choice of words, will be picked up and repeated in every Press release that addresses this issue now, or in the future. True or false, having said them, those words now become TRUTH.
What Mr. Cook has tactfully left unsaid, is that for the past 20 years, the british overtly and covertly discouraged, subverted, and opposed all independence activities in the remaining Colonies.
In the year 2000, the Decolonisation Committee mandate will come to an end. The Colonial Masters have not fulfilled either the Radical 1960 or the Conservative 1971 Resolution.
With the exception of Hong Kong, which escaped through China's strength, the remaining Colonies have neither become independent nor do they appear to be moving towards independence. Just the opposite has taken place.
Now, without the well calculated worry of 5 million Chinese rushing to their shores, england has offered the remaining colonies an ultimatum vaguely disguised as a Partnership. This Partnership, will sign, seal and deliver the remaining colonies to their Colonial Master.
So when Mr.Cook in his White Paper states.... "They all want to preserve the constitutional link with the United Kingdom,"... One has to wonder. Just who they in this statement refers to? Because further on in his political posturing he continues... "Our strong preference is that the Overseas Territories should enact the necessary reforms themselves, but we are ready to make such reforms by Order in Council if they fail to do so. "
They want to retain their links, but they will be forced to retain them if they don't do so of their own free will. Change your laws and become british citizens, or we will change your laws and make you british citizens.
The british have carefully planned and carried out this timetable that started in the 70's, with their secret agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.
For the british the objective will be finalised in the year 2000. They have carefully and tacitly circumvented the UN mandate with full compliance of their Partners. They have covered all the contingencies to insure the validity of their arguments.
They have submitted reports for the last 15 years that show no movement by the Colonies towards independence. Before the year 2000 they would have changed the status of the remaining Colonies to solidify and seal their arguments.
In the words of Mr.Cook, "We have re-established Britain as a leading international player, prepared to take tough decisions to deal with complex and pointed international difficulties-" "For Britain, the Overseas Territories are a significant element in its national and international identity,"... ..."and within Britain's new international role." "As participants in the new global order and the new global economy,"
... Or, we once again have delusory visions of empire. With the remaining Colonies as scattered military outposts producing lucrative economic returns, we can once again re-live our delusions.
For the remaining colonies their role is clear.
Lost and forgotten, battered by nature and the shackles of Colonial control, lack of vision and lackluster leaders, they never even had a chance to fathom the depths of the web that ensnares them.
They never had a chance to understand their full worth and potential.
They will be the last Colonies of the Colonial era, and the first Colonies in the New World Global and Economic Order.
cheddy browne
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