studied next month by a United Nations committee has made it clear that it is not interested.

Cayman Islands' elected leader, Mr. Thomas Jefferson, this week said "thanks, but no thanks'' to a visit by the UN's Decolonisation Committee.

The committee, which was scheduled to visit the Cayman Islands and Montserrat next month, will also study independence in Bermuda and two other British-dependent territories.

The situation in the US Virgin Islands will be examined in May.

The UN body announced earlier this month it was planning a study of conditions in half a dozen British and US territories in the Caribbean.

The study would include speaking to government and opposition political leaders in an attempt to find out whether the islands' inhabitants favoured independence.

But both Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan and Deputy Governor Mr. John Kelly have said the investigation is nothing new.

Sir John stressed that the decision on independence rested with the people of Bermuda.

And Mr. Jefferson told the Cayman Islands' legislature this week that local residents did not want to end their long-time relationship with Britain.

"Our answer to any visit by the committee is a courteous no thanks'', he said. "We do not need nor want a visit by the Decolonisation Committee.'' The Caymans are one of the few British territories that have never had to ask Britain to make up a budget deficit. The colony has 540 registered banks with deposits totalling more than $460 billion.

The fiercely loyal islands, which like Bermuda depend on tourism and offshore banking for revenue, have been a British territory for nearly three centuries.