The General Assembly,
Having considered the questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Tokelau, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands,
Having examined the relevant chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,
Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to those Territories, including, in particular, those resolutions adopted by the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session on the individual Territories covered by the present resolution,
Recalling also its resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960, containing the principles which should guide Member States in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for under Article 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations,
Conscious of the need to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration in respect of those Territories, in view of the target set by the United Nations to eradicate colonialism by the year 2000,
Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and economic conditions of each Territory, and bearing in mind the necessity of promoting economic stability and diversifying and strengthening further the economies of the respective Territories as a matter of priority,
Taking note of the report of the Pacific Regional Seminar to Review the Political, Economic and Social Conditions in the Small Island Non-Self- Governing Territories, held at Port Moresby from 8 to 10 June 1993, and the information provided at the Seminar by the Lieutenant-Governor of American Samoa and other participants,
Conscious of the particular vulnerability of the small Territories to natural disasters and environmental degradation,
Aware of the usefulness both to the Territories and to the Special Committee of the participation of representatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories in the work of the Special Committee,
Mindful that United Nations visiting missions provide a means of ascertaining the situation in the small Territories, and considering that the possibility of sending further visiting missions to those Territories at an appropriate time and in consultation with the administering Powers should be kept under review,
Noting with appreciation the contribution to the development of some Territories by specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, as well as regional institutions such as the Caribbean Development Bank,
Bearing in mind the fragile economy of the small Territories and their vulnerability to natural disasters and environmental degradation, and recalling General Assembly resolutions and the recommendations of the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island Developing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations, held in New York from 25 to 29 June 1990,
Recalling the conclusions and recommendations of the Regional Seminar to Review the Special Development Needs of Island Territories, held in connection with the plan of action of the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, at St. George's from 17 to 19 June 1992, as well as the position taken by the territorial Governments contained in the report of the Seminar,
1. Takes note of the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Tokelau, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands;
2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of those Territories to self-determination and independence in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples;
3. Reaffirms also that it is ultimately for the people of those Territories themselves to determine freely their future political status in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter, the Declaration and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and in that connection calls upon the administering Powers, in cooperation with the territorial Governments, to facilitate programmes of political education in order to foster an awareness among the people of the possibilities open to them in the exercise of their right to self-determination, in conformity with the legitimate political status options clearly defined in General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV);
4. Reiterates that it is the responsibility of the administering Powers to create such conditions in the Territories as will enable their peoples to exercise freely and without interference their inalienable right to self-determination and independence;
5. Requests the administering Powers to encourage and to facilitate the participation of elected representatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories under their administration and other appropriate authorities or personalities duly mandated by those representatives in the work of the Special Committee, its Working Group and its Subcommittee on Small Territories, Petitions, Information and Assistance, as well as in the work of its seminars;
6. Reiterates the view that factors such as territorial size, geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources should in no way serve as a pretext to delay the speedy exercise by the peoples of those Territories of their inalienable right to self-determination;
7. Reaffirms the responsibility of the administering Powers under the Charter to promote the economic and social development and to preserve the cultural identity of those Territories, and recommends that priority should continue to be given, in consultation with the territorial Governments concerned, to the strengthening and diversification of their respective economies;
8. Urges the administering Powers, in cooperation with the territorial Governments concerned, to take or continue to take effective measures to safeguard and guarantee the inalienable right of the peoples of those Territories to own, develop or dispose of the natural resources of those Territories, including marine resources, and to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources;
9. Also urges the administering Powers to take all necessary measures to protect and conserve the environment of the Territories under their administration against any environmental degradation, and requests the specialized agencies concerned to continue to monitor environmental conditions in those Territories;
10. Calls upon the administering Powers to continue to take all necessary measures, in cooperation with the respective territorial Governments, to counter problems related to drug trafficking;
11. Urges the administering Powers to foster or continue to foster close relations between the Territories and other island communities in their respective regions and to promote cooperation between the respective territorial Governments and regional institutions, as well as the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system;
12. Also urges the administering Powers to cooperate or continue to cooperate with the Special Committee in its work by providing timely and up-to-date information for each Territory under their administration, in accordance with Article 73 e of the Charter, and by facilitating the dispatch of visiting missions to secure firsthand information thereon and to ascertain the wishes and aspirations of the inhabitants;
13. Appeals to the administering Powers to continue or to resume their participation in future meetings and activities of the Special Committee and to ensure the participation in the work of the Special Committee of representatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories;
14. Urges Member States to contribute to the efforts of the United Nations to achieve the eradication of colonialism by the year 2000, and calls upon them to continue to give their full support to the action of the Special Committee towards the attainment of that objective;
15. Invites the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to initiate or to continue to take all necessary measures to accelerate progress in the social and economic life of the Territories;
16. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in formulating their assistance programmes, to take due account of the text entitled "Challenges and opportunities: a strategic framework", which was adopted unanimously by the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island Developing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations;
17. Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of the question of the small Territories and to recommend to the General Assembly the most suitable steps to be taken to enable the populations of those Territories to exercise their right to self-determination and independence, and to report thereon to the Assembly at its forty-ninth session.
75th plenary meeting
10 December 1993
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Noting that efforts are currently aimed at increasing the production of food crops for local consumption,
Noting also the announcement by the Governor that his administration was planning to lay off over one thousand public employees, including some four hundred permanent career civil servants,
Noting further that American Samoa is the only United States of America Territory in which employers are allowed to pay workers less than the mainland minimum wage,
Aware that one third of the population is dependent on village-based water systems which often lack basic sanitary conditions,
Noting the devastation caused by hurricane Val in December 1991 and the recovery efforts of the territorial Government in conjunction with the administering Power and the international community,
Recalling the dispatch in 1981 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory,
1. Calls upon the administering Power, in cooperation with relevant regional and international institutions, to assist the Territory in increasing its agricultural output;
2. Also calls upon the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to continue to promote the economic and social development of the Territory in order to reduce its heavy economic and financial dependence on the United States of America;
3. Requests additional information from the elected representatives of American Samoa, the administering Power and/or other sources to enable the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to determine its future course of action on the question of American Samoa, and in this connection expresses its firm conviction that a visiting mission at this stage would provide an effective means of obtaining information on developments in the Territory and ascertaining the views of the people of American Samoa with regard to their future status.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Noting the decision of the administering Power to effect a policy change aimed at enhancing its relations with its Caribbean dependent Territories,
Aware that the educational system in Anguilla is facing severe problems, including overcrowding and insufficient equipment and supplies in the schools, as well as a high percentage of untrained teachers and the loss of teachers to the private sector and to other parts of the civil service,
Aware also of the inability of Anguilla's educational system to alleviate the problem of scarcity of skilled national personnel, particularly in the fields of economic management and tourism, and that educational reform is of paramount importance to the achievement of the long-term economic goals of the Territory,
Noting that the territorial Government is placing great emphasis on manpower development and training,
Also noting that the Government's Public Sector Investment Programme for 1991-1995 is expected to be financed by external donors through grants and concessional loans,
Aware that the exploitation of deep-sea resources would help to reduce the risk of depleting the Territory's own fishing resources as a result of overfishing,
Recalling the dispatch of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory in 1984,
1. Noting the efforts of the administering Power aimed at improving its relations with its dependent Territories of the Caribbean;
2. Requests the administering Power, in considering, adopting and/or implementing policy decisions likely to affect its dependent Territories, to continue to grant the highest attention to the interests, needs and wishes of the territorial Government and the people of Anguilla;
3. Calls upon national, regional and international institutions specializing in the field of education to grant Anguilla funds and equipment and to make available to the Territory teacher training courses, to enable it to overcome its educational problems;
4. Also calls upon all countries, institutions and organizations endowed with expertise in manpower training to grant Anguilla assistance in this field;
5. Invites the international donor community to contribute generously to the Government's Public Sector Investment Programme for 1991-1995 and to grant the Territory all possible assistance to enable it to reach the main development objectives established by the Executive Council of the Territory;
6. Requests all countries and organizations with deep-sea fishing experience to facilitate the acquisition by the fishing sector of the Territory of larger boats and ad hoc fishing equipment and to provide the Territory's fishermen with deep-sea fishing training programmes;
7. Notes that a period of nine years has elapsed since a United Nations mission visited Anguilla, and calls upon the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of a further visiting mission to the Territory.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Noting the negative effects of the world recession on the economy of Bermuda,
Noting also the recent review of the criminal justice system in the Territory,
Noting with concern the incidence of crime in the secondary schools, and noting also the planned restructuring of the public school system,
Reaffirming its strong conviction that the presence of military bases and installations in the Territory could, in certain circumstances, constitute an obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,
Noting that the Territory has never been visited by a United Nations visiting mission,
1. Reaffirms its view that it is ultimately for the people of Bermuda to decide their own future;
2. Requests the administering Power to assist the territorial Government in its efforts to mitigate the effects of the world recession, particularly in the domains of tourism and international business;
3. Calls upon the administering Power to ensure that the criminal justice system is fair to all inhabitants of the Territory;
4. Also calls upon the administering Power to ensure that the planned restructuring of the public school system is not prejudicial to the economically less advantaged sectors of the population;
5. Further calls upon the administering Power to ensure that the presence of military bases and installations in the Territory would not constitute an obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples nor hinder the population from exercising its right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
6. Again calls upon the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Noting the request of the Territory for a review of its Constitution,
Also noting the statements made by the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and members of the public of the Territory concerning the review by the administering Power of its policy towards, and management of, its Caribbean dependent Territories,
Aware of the impact of the world economic recession on the economy of the British Virgin Islands,
Noting the measures taken by the territorial Government to develop the agricultural, industrial, educational and communications sectors,
Noting also the desire of the Territory for membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Noting further that, according to the Caribbean Development Bank, the Territory's unmet manpower requirements continue to be a critical constraint to its economic growth,
Recognizing the measures being taken by the territorial Government to prevent drug trafficking and money laundering,
1. Requests the administering Power to take into account any views or wishes which may be expressed by the territorial Government and the people of the Territory in connection with the constitutional review;
2. Also requests the administering Power, in implementing its review of policy towards, and management of, its Caribbean dependent Territories, to give the highest consideration to the opinions expressed by the Government and the people of the Territory;
3. Further requests the administering Power and all financial institutions to grant the Territory economic assistance, including concessionary funding, to enable it to mitigate the effects of the world economic recession and to pursue its development programmes;
4. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power to facilitate the admission of the Territory to associate membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as well as its participation in other regional and international organizations;
5. Calls upon the United Nations Development Programme to continue its technical assistance to the British Virgin Islands, bearing in mind the vulnerability of the Territory to external economic factors and the scarcity of skilled workers in the Territory;
6. Calls upon all countries and organizations with expertise in the development of skilled labour to grant the territorial Government every assistance in the implementation of its educational and manpower training programmes;
7. Notes with satisfaction the measures being taken by the territorial Government to prevent drug trafficking and money laundering, and urges the administering Power to continue its assistance to the Territory in those endeavours;
8. Notes with regret that a period of seventeen years has elapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Territory and appeals to the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of such a mission.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Noting the action taken by the territorial Government to implement its localization programme to promote increased participation of the local population in the decision-making process in the Cayman Islands,
Also noting that an increased proportion of the labour force of the Territory consists of expatriates and that there is a need for the training of nationals in the technical, vocational, managerial and professional fields,
Aware that the general election of November 1992 in the Territory resulted in the naming of a new Government,
Conscious of the economic priorities recommended by the new territorial Government, namely, to reduce spending, balance the budget, slow down growth to manageable levels and increase tourism,
Noting the Territory's dependence on imported agricultural provisions,
Noting with concern the vulnerability of the Territory to drug trafficking and related activities,
Noting with satisfaction the efforts of the territorial Government, the Governments of other countries of the region and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power, to prevent and repress illicit activities such as money laundering, funds smuggling, false invoicing and other related frauds, as well as the use of and trafficking in illegal drugs,
Recalling the dispatch in 1977 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory,
1. Notes the change of government in the Territory as a result of the election of November 1992;
2. Notes also that, according to election officials, more than 90 per cent of the Territory's registered voters participated in that election;
3. Urges the administering Power, in consultation with the territorial Government, to continue to facilitate the expansion of the current programme of securing employment for the local population, in particular at the decision-making level;
4. Requests the administering Power to assist the new territorial Government in acquiring all required expertise to enable it to achieve its economic aims;
5. Calls upon the administering Power, in consultation with the territorial Government, to continue to promote the agricultural development of the Cayman Islands;
6. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to increase their programmes of assistance to the Territory with a view to strengthening, developing and diversifying its economy;
7. Calls upon the administering Power to continue to take all necessary measures, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to counter problems related to money laundering, funds smuggling and other related crimes, as well as drug trafficking;
8. Notes the importance of sending United Nations visiting missions to the Non-Self-Governing Territories, and the fact that a period of sixteen years has elapsed since the last mission was dispatched to the Territory.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Noting that pursuant to the request of the Government of Guam and the recommendation of the independent Base Relocation and Closure Commission of the administering Power, the administering Power has approved of the closure of aviation activities at the Naval Air Station Agana,
Aware that large tracts of land in the Territory continue to be reserved for the use of the Department of Defense of the administering Power,
Cognizant that the administering Power has undertaken a programme of transferring surplus federal land to the Government of Guam,
Cognizant also of the potential for diversifying and developing the economy of Guam through commercial fishing and agriculture,
Conscious that immigration into the Territory has resulted in the indigenous Chamorros becoming a minority in their homeland and that, in 1990, 50 per cent of the residents were not born in the Territory,
Mindful that discussions between the Guam Commission on Self- Determination and the executive branch of the administering Power on the draft Guam Commonwealth Act concluded at the end of the previous administration of the administering Power, and that the Guam Commission on Self-Determination has requested the new Administration to appoint a special representative of the President to lead the administering Power's review of the Guam Commonwealth Act,
Recalling that in referendums held in Guam in 1987 the people of Guam endorsed a draft Commonwealth Act that, upon expeditious enactment by the Congress of the United States of America, would reaffirm the right of the people of Guam to draft their own constitution and to govern themselves,
Recalling also the dispatch in 1979 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory,
1. Calls upon the administering Power to continue to ensure that the presence of military bases and installations in the Territory does not constitute an obstacle to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples nor hinder the population of the Territory from exercising its right to self-determination, including independence, in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
2. Also calls upon the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to continue to expedite the transfer of land to the people of the Territory and to take the necessary steps to safeguard their property rights;
3. Notes that discussions held since 1988 between the Government of the United States of America and the Guam Commission on Self-Determination have resulted in qualified agreements on the provisions of the Guam Commonwealth Act, including agreements to disagree on several substantive portions of the Guam proposal, and that the new Administration of the administering Power has been requested by Guam to conduct expeditiously its review of the Guam Commonwealth Act in concert with the Guam Commission on Self-Determination;
4. Requests the administering Power to take all necessary measures to respond to the concerns of the territorial Government with regard to the immigration issue;
5. Reiterates its request to the administering Power to continue to recognize and respect the cultural and ethnic identity of the Chamorro people, the indigenous inhabitants of Guam;
6. Urges the administering Power to continue to support appropriate measures by the territorial Government aimed at promoting growth in commercial fishing and agriculture;
7. Notes that a period of fourteen years has elapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Territory and again calls upon the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of such a mission.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Aware of the decision of the administering Power to implement a policy change aimed at establishing better dialogue, coordination and cooperation between itself and its Caribbean dependent Territories,
Noting the position of the territorial Government that while independence is both desirable and inevitable, it should be preceded by economic and financial viability sufficient to sustain Montserrat as an independent State,
Expressing concern at the high incidence of drug trafficking and money laundering in the Territory,
Taking into account the membership of Montserrat in regional and international bodies and the outstanding request of the Territory for readmission to associate membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
Aware of the Government's policy to continue to train and develop local human resources,
Recalling that the last United Nations visiting mission to the Territory took place in 1982,
1. Calls upon the administering Power to consider all suggestions made by the Territories concerned within the framework of its review of policy and management of the Caribbean dependent Territories, as well as in the context of any future policy changes affecting them;
2. Requests the administering Power to work towards promoting the economic and social development of the Territory with a view to its attaining self-determination and independence;
3. Notes the territorial Government's expressed preference for independence within a political union with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States;
4. Requests the administering Power, competent regional and international organizations, as well as countries in a position to do so, to grant the Government of Montserrat every assistance it requires to achieve its stated goal of improving the efficiency and productivity of the public service through training at all levels;
5. Reiterates its call upon the administering Power, in cooperation with the territorial Government, to take, as a matter of urgency, the necessary steps to facilitate the readmission of Montserrat as an associate member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization;
6. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as regional and other multilateral financial institutions, to continue to expand their assistance to the Territory in the strengthening, development and diversification of the economy of Montserrat in accordance with its medium-term and long-term development plans;
7. Urges the administering Power to continue its assistance to the Territory in the prevention of drug trafficking and money laundering;
8. Notes with regret that a period of eleven years has elapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Territory and calls upon the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of such a mission.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of New Zealand, the administering Power,
Noting the continuing devolution of power to the local authority, the General Fono (Council), and mindful that the cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Tokelau should be taken fully into account in the evolution of the political institutions of Tokelau,
Noting also the continuing commitment of New Zealand to assist Tokelau in attaining a greater degree of self-government and economic self- sufficiency, and its stated intention to be guided in this regard by the wishes of the Tokelauan people,
Taking note of the plans to transfer the Office for Tokelau Affairs from Apia to Tokelau,
Noting the Territory's continuing efforts to strengthen the role of its local institutions and to assume more responsibility for its own affairs, while reaffirming its desire to retain its special relationship with New Zealand,
Noting also the endeavours of Tokelau to develop its marine and other resources and its efforts to diversify the income-earning ability of its population,
Noting further the concern of the people of the Territory regarding the serious consequences of changes in climatic patterns on the future of Tokelau,
Noting with appreciation the assistance extended to Tokelau by the administering Power, other Member States and specialized agencies, in particular the United Nations Development Programme and its setting up of a third country programme for Tokelau for the period 1992-1996,
1. Encourages the Government of New Zealand, the administering Power, to continue to respect fully the wishes of the people of Tokelau in carrying out the political and economic development of the Territory in such a way as to preserve their social, cultural and traditional heritage and to seek solutions which would meet the unique future needs of Tokelau;
2. Notes with satisfaction the agreement to continue the process of transferring to Tokelau the responsibility for administration of the Territory, and the decision by Tokelau to establish a Council of Faipule (joint chairmen of the General Fono) to provide ongoing government for the Territory between sessions of the General Fono;
3. Requests the administering Power to take all necessary measures to facilitate the exercise by the Territory of its political and administrative functions and, in this regard, takes note of the plans to transfer the Office for Tokelau Affairs from Apia to Tokelau;
4. Invites all governmental and non-governmental organizations, financial institutions, Member States and specialized agencies to grant or continue to grant Tokelau special emergency economic assistance to mitigate the effects of cyclonic storms and to enable the Territory to meet its medium- and long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation requirements and address the issues of changes in climatic patterns;
5. Welcomes the invitation of the administering Power to the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to dispatch a visiting mission to Tokelau in 1994.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Having heard the statement of the representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the administering Power,
Noting the different views expressed by the elected representatives of the Turks and Caicos Islands on the question of the future status of the Territory,
Aware of the decision of the administering Power to implement a policy change aimed at establishing better dialogue, coordination and cooperation between itself and its Caribbean dependent Territories,
Noting the territorial Government's commitment to reform the public service to achieve greater efficiency and to implement its policy of localization of employment,
Noting the Government's expressed need for development assistance to achieve its stated goal of economic independence by the year 1996,
Noting also the Government's decision to establish an investment bank in order to attract substantial investments world wide for much-needed projects,
Noting further that 90 per cent of the food consumed in the Territory is imported, and that the Government has exerted efforts to improve the agricultural and fisheries sectors,
Noting the number of unqualified teachers and the number of expatriate staff in the educational system of the Territory,
Noting with interest the statement made and the information provided by an elected member of the Territory's Legislative Council in March 1993 to the Subcommittee on Small Territories, Petitions, Information and Assistance of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on the overall political, economic and social situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands,
1. Reiterates that it is ultimately for the people of the Territory themselves to determine their own future through the exercise of their right to self-determination, including independence;
2. Invites the administering Power, in implementing policy changes concerning its dependent Territories, to continue to take fully into account the wishes and interests of the Government and people of the Turks and Caicos Islands;
3. Calls upon the territorial Government to continue to promote alternative employment opportunities for those civil servants whose employment will be terminated as a result of the public service reform and the planned reduction of employees in the service;
4. Also calls upon the territorial Government to ensure that the employment of expatriates in the Territory's labour force is not prejudicial to the recruitment of suitably qualified and available islanders;
5. Calls upon the specialized agencies and other institutions of the United Nations system to explore concrete ways of assisting the Turks and Caicos Government to reach its stated goal of achieving economic independence by 1996;
6. Notes with satisfaction the increase in aid, particularly financial assistance, granted to the territorial Government by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and invites that Government to maintain this level of assistance;
7. Calls upon all national, regional, interregional and international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to take all necessary steps to assist the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the establishment and/or operation of its investment bank;
8. Urges the administering Power and the relevant regional and international organizations to assist the territorial Government in increasing the efficiency of the agricultural and fisheries sectors;
9. Also urges the administering Power and the relevant regional and international organizations to support the efforts of the territorial Government to address the problem of environmental pollution and degradation;
10. Calls upon all countries and organizations with experience in the training of teachers to extend generous assistance to the Territory in this field, with particular emphasis on the training of its nationals;
11. Draws the attention of the administering Power to the statement made and the information provided in March 1993 to the Subcommittee on Small Territories, Petitions, Information and Assistance of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by an elected member of the Territory's Legislative Council on the political, economic and social situation in the Territory;
12. Notes with regret that a period of thirteen years has elapsed since a United Nations mission visited the Territory and appeals to the administering Power to facilitate the dispatch of such a mission.
The General Assembly,
Referring to resolution A above,
Noting that a referendum on political status in the Territory was held on 11 October 1993,
Noting also the concerns expressed in the Territory on the issues of residency requirements for voter eligibility and the availability to all voters of full information on the political options offered to them in the referendum and the implications of these options,
Noting further that the Governor, in his State of the Territory address in January 1993, mentioned the necessity to diversify the Territory's economy further,
Aware that the insurance crisis in the United States Virgin Islands affects home-owners and has an adverse impact on the Territory's real estate market,
Noting that the question of the transfer of Water Island to the Territory is still under consideration,
Noting also the steps taken by the territorial authorities to acquire the St. Thomas Harbour, including the West Indian Company,
Noting further the continuing interest of the territorial Government in seeking associate membership in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and observer status in the Caribbean Community, and its inability, for financial reasons, to participate in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization,
Recalling the dispatch in 1977 of a United Nations visiting mission to the Territory and the request by the territorial Government for the dispatch of a United Nations mission to the Territory to observe the referendum process,
1. Notes the consultative character of the referendum which was held on 11 October 1993;
2. Notes also the concerns raised in the Territory, prior to the referendum, on the questions of residency requirements and the availability of information on this political process;
3. Requests the administering Power to assist the territorial Government in its efforts to attract light manufacturing and other enterprises to the Territory in order to diversify its economy;
4. Invites the administering Power, as a matter of urgency, to facilitate the transfer of Water Island to the territorial Government;
5. Reiterates its request to the administering Power to facilitate as appropriate the participation of the Territory in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community, as well as in various international and regional organizations, including the Caribbean Group for Cooperation in Economic Development of the World Bank, in accordance with the policy of the administering Power and the terms of reference of such organizations;
6. Calls upon the administering Power to respond favourably to the request of the territorial Government for the dispatch of a United Nations visiting and observer mission to the Territory.
75th plenary meeting
10 December 1993
