Interview given by Mr. P.B. Williams, Deputy Defence Secretary, to Bill Furnivall of Commercial Radio, on 30.12.68.
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Mr. Williams, there's been recurring reports in the press over the last couple of months thịt in 1971 when the run down of the Gurkhas is finished in Singapore that Hong Kong is going to have a big bill to foot with the increase in numb3r of troops here. What is the situation ?
Substantially, there is no change to the arrangements explained in detail by the Governor in December 1966. The signi
significant points are that it costs
the United Kingdom Government some $260 million a year to maintain the garrison here. Of this amount the Hong Kong Government has agreed to pay annually $80 million dollars for four years ending in 1970/71, that is, about one-third of the total cost each year.
Well, this will be just at the time that we will be getting the Gurkhas coming
up from Singapore. Will we have to pay more money then?
Perhaps I could ay something about the Gurkha set-up. The Arry garrison here
includes 48 Gurkha Infantry Ebigade which has an establishment of about
3,000 officers and men. Part of our $80 million dollars annual contribution
clearly goes to supporting this brigade. By 1971 after the rundown in
Singapore, it is expected that the whole of the Gurkhas who serve with the British Army will be reduced to some 6,000 officers and men. But as was announced
in Juby by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, it is expected that
only one Gurkha batallion will
be
added to the Hong Kong gaħrison,
A battalion consists of ahout 700 men so that the number of Gurkhas
serving in Hong Kong from 1971 onwards will be of the order of 3,700 not the total of 6,000 men.
But will Hong Kong have to pay more money for the upkeep of these new Gurkhas coming in ?
At present it is not possible to say whether Hong Kong will have to
contribute more to this additional battalion. This will be a matter of
negotiation between the Hong Kong Government and the British Government before the end of the current agreement which expires in 1971.