Thursday 25 October 2012
 

11.15-11.30
Welcome and introduction by Professor Philip Murphy (ICwS)

11.30-1.00
Session One: Education and Training
Chairman: Dr Tamson Pietsch (Brunel University)
Mr Eric Cunningham (Education Officer, Gold Coast 1952–62)
‘Gold Coast localisation: a long history, and some reflections on my experience.’ 
Professor Michael Lee (University of Manchester; seconded to Uganda, and Makerere University College)
’The Contribution of Makerere College to Localisation in East Africa.’
Mr Peter Wood (Tanzania 1957–69; Oxford University 1969–90; ODA and international consultant; Commonwealth Forestry Association (Vice-President)   
’The role of the Commonwealth Forestry Institute, Oxford, in professional education and training.’

2.00-3.30
Session Two: Training for the Localisation of Public Administration
Chairman: Professor Philip Murphy (ICwS)
Mr Wyn Reilly (Tanganyika 1956-62; IDPM, University of Manchester.  Involved in Public Administration and Training in numerous countries)
‘The Administrative Training Centre, Mzumbe, Tanganyika and management training at IDPM, Manchester and  overseas.’
Mr Colin Fuller (Kenya 1956-68; Kenya Institute of Administration; then IDPM, Manchester)
‘Africanisation of the Civil Service in Kenya with special reference to the Administration.’
Mr Chris Cochran (Solomon Islands 1967-82; Public Service Office and then Commissioner for Labour)
 ‘Localisation of the Public Service in the Solomon Islands 1960-82, either side of Independence in 1978.’

4.00-5.30
Session Three: The Politics of Localisation
Chairman: Dr Georgina Sinclair (Open University)
Mr John Ducker (Aden 1960-67; World Bank in Africa and Central Asia) 
‘Localisation in Aden and a comparative study across the colonies generally.’
Mr Simon Gillett (Cameroons 1960; Bechuanaland/Botswana 1965-72)  
‘The political context of Localisation and Government Policies in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Botswana.’
Mr Michael Waters, MBE (Western Pacific – GEIC 1972-76; Hong Kong 1976-97, Civil Service Branch dealing with localisation and handover, and Deputy Political Advisor to the Governor) 
‘The security, political and nationality issues affecting Localisation in Hong Kong.’

Subjects for discussion included:
• What were the policies of a) the colonial governments and b) the post-independent governments, towards localisation and the training and development of local civil servants?
• When and in what form did localisation begin, prior to independence? Why were some colonial governments slow in starting?
• When did the training for Administrative Officers start and what form did it take?  (i.e. how long were the courses; what was the programme content; what type of methodology; and who were the trainers)?
• How much of the training, especially after independence, was influenced by foreign technical assistance (eg. USAID, IBRD, UN) and how important and how relevant was overseas training (eg. in the UK, USA, USSR)?
• How soon were colonial officers replaced by local officers and in which cadres (ie. Provincial Administration, Police, technical cadres) and what was the impact of localisation on existing systems of government (ie. District administration and local government)?
• The attitudes, reactions and responses of expatriates, the CO and the FCO and locals to their roles in localisation.
• Was it difficult to attract educated locals, who often saw the private sector as offering better opportunities for swift advancement than government service, where the top posts were, understandably, seen as the preserve of expatriate HMOCS officers?
• Were there ethnic considerations affecting localisation?
• Was the education system in the colonial territories able to supply sufficient men and women capable of administering the independent governments, and learning the art of governance?

A written transcript of the proceedings of this Seminar was produced by OSPA.  It has been published by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies as Number Seven in the series of the OSPA Research Project’s Occasional Papers.  Price: £5.00; plus postage £2.50 UK; £5.00 overseas. 

The published transcript is available from:
Olga Jimenez, School of Advanced Study, University of London, 
Senate House (Room 265), Malet Street, London  WC1E 7HU.
tel: (0)20 7862 8871   email: [email protected]

The proceedings of this Conference are available on the ICwS website.  To view, go to http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/events/videos-and-podcasts and follow the links.