CONFIDENTIAL
ALL SUCH FIGURES ARE PURELY SPECULATIVE. I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE
IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE LARGE MAJORITY OF PUBLIC SERVANTS IN HONG KONG. THE NEED IS TO ROOT CUT THE CORRUPT MINORITY.
(IF PRESSED TO COMMENT ON HUNT'S STORY IN THE DAILY EXPRESS)
I REALISE HOW MUCH INTEREST THESE ARTICLES HAVE AROUSED BOTH
HERE AND ABROAD AND IT IS NATURAL THAT COMMENTS SHOULD BE SOUGHT.
BUT MR HUNT WILL BE A CROWN WITNESS IN AN IMPORTANT TRIAL. IT
WOULD THEREFORE BE IMPROPER FOR ME TO COMMENT ON THE ARTICLES.
(J) CRIME.
THE GOVERNOR HAS INTRODUCED A WIDE RANGE OF MEASURES TO COMBAT
THE INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME. HE ALSO PLANS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME: AND THE GOVERNMENT'S
WIDE-RANGING SOCIAL PROGRAMMES SHOULD ALSO HAVE A FAVOURABLE
EFFECT IN THE LONG TERM.
(K) APPLICATION OF ILO CONVENTIONS.
NINETEEN ILO CONVENTIONS HAVE BEEN APPLIED WITHOUT MODIFICATION TO
HONG KONG, AND TEN APPLIED WITH SOME MODIFICATION. THIS
COMPARES WELL WITH THE RECORD OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE FAR EAST.
(L) LABOUR AFFAIRS.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE PURSUING A PROGRAMME OF CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT IN LABOUR LEGISLATION. RECENT LEGISLATION INCLUDES
MEASURES. TO REDUCE PERMISSIBLE OVERTIME AND WORKING HOURS FOR
WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
(M) TRADE UNIONS.
THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IS SMALL, COVERING CHLY ABOUT 15%
OF THE WORK FORCE. THE UNIONS ARE POLITICALLY SPLIT BETWEEN
COMMUNIST AND NON-COMMUNIST FACTIONS: CONSEQUENTLY THEY HAVE LITTLE
EFFECTIVE ORGANISATION OR BARGAINING POWER.
N) HOUSING.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NOW HOUSE ABOUT 1.56 MILLION PEOPLE
38% OF THE POPULATION. THEY HOPE TO ELIMINATE SQUATTER SETTLEMENTS
AND ALL SUB-STANDARD HOUSING WITHIN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. THE CURRENT
TEN-YEAR HOUSING PLAN INVOLVES PROVISION OF PUBLIC HOUSING FOR AN
ADDITIONAL 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE.
(0) MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PLANS CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT AND
EXPANSION OF HONG KONG'S MEDICAL SERVICES UNDER A TEN-YEAR
PROGRAMME. THE MAIN PROPOSALS ARE FOR BUILDING FOUR NEW HOSPITALS AND MORE CLINICS, AND FOR REGIONALISATION OF THESE SERVICES,
(P) EDUCATION.
конс
A RECENT WHITE PAPER SET OUT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S PLANS
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT DECADE.
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CONFIDENTTAT:
ITS IMMEDIATE