A/RES/63/108 A–B Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the development of a small island Territory, 1. Welcomes the new Constitution of the British Virgin Islands, which took effect in June 2007, and notes the need expressed by the territorial Government for minor constitutional amendments in the years to come; Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its 2. work concerning public outreach efforts, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter of the United Nations and, in that regard, calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested; Welcomes the efforts made by the Territory to focus its economic base 3. more on local ownership and on professional service industries other than financial services; Appreciates the efforts made to continue the work of the Inter-Virgin 4. Islands Council between the elected Governments of the British Virgin Islands and the United States Virgin Islands to advance cooperation between the two neighbouring Territories; V Cayman Islands Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the Cayman Islands 12 and other relevant information, Aware of the 2002 report of the Constitutional Modernization Review Commission, which contained a draft constitution for the consideration of the people of the Territory, the 2003 draft constitution offered by the administering Power and the subsequent discussions between the Territory and the administering Power in 2003, and the reopening of discussions between the administering Power and the territorial Government on internal constitutional modernization in 2006, with the aim of ascertaining the views of the people by way of referendum, Noting with interest the establishment of the Cayman Islands Constitutional Review Secretariat, which began its work in March 2007 in support of the Territory’s constitution modernization initiative, which comprises four phases with regard to constitutional reform, including research and publicity, consultation and public education, a referendum on reform proposals, and negotiations between the administering Power and the territorial Government, Acknowledging the indication by the territorial Government that certain costof-living issues, such as inflation, continue to be a cause for concern, 1. Welcomes the publication by the territorial Government of a consultation paper in January 2008 setting out a number of proposals for constitutional reform, with a view to holding a referendum on those proposals, or revised proposals, later in the year; Requests the administering Power to assist the Territory by facilitating its 2. work concerning public awareness outreach efforts, consistent with Article 73 b of the Charter of the United Nations and, in that regard, calls upon the relevant United Nations organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested; _______________ 12 A/AC.109/2008/11. 9