BRITISH HONDURAS DELEGATION

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 7

BRITISH HONDURAS DELEGATION

Constitutional Talks Broken Off (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 27 Britain has broken off talks with a delegation from British Honduras because some of the delegation members were found to have been discussing with the Guatemalan envoy in London a plan for severing the colony’s connexion with Britain. The Colonial Secretary (Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd) said this in the House of Commons today. He was answering a question about the progress of the Colonial Office talks with the delegation on financial and constitutional issues. The delegation was led by the Governor (Sir Colin Thornley). It included Mr George Price, Member for Natural Resources, who leads the elected members of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council. Future With Americas Mr Price alleges that the colony’s future lies more with the Americas than with Britain.

Guatemala has long claimed British Honduras, its neighbour, as part of its territory. The Colonial Secretary said that four of the unofficial delegates were invited to lunch by the Guatemalan Minister in London.

At the lunch, a plan was put forward which involved severing the connexion of British Honduras with the British Crown, and associating it in some form with the Guatemalan Republic. Mr Lennox-Boyd said that Mr Price had attempted to conceal from him and from the Governor as well as from at least two of his three unofficial colleagues, other private discussions he had had with the Guatemalan envoy “With such a lack of good faith on Mr Price’s part, I have felt it impossible to continue negotiations with him,” Mr Lennox-Boyd said.

He suggested a resumption of the talks with a reconstituted delegation.