COMELDERVIS
seconded officers, the section's workload would be considerably reduced. It would then be possible to abolish one DS 9 post and the justification for a full-time DS 5 Head of Section would also disappear.
35.
Colonial Service Regulations require that members of HMOCS may only be appointed by a representative of the Secretary of State. The recruitment procedure we foresee leading to the appointment of HMOCS members to serve as Administrative Officers in Hong Kong Government service is as follows:
1. The Hong Kong Government's representative in
London carries out the recruitment exercise to the point of drawing up a short list of
candidates to be seen by a Selection Board;
2. The Head of Gibraltar and General department or his nominated representative convenes and chairs a Selection Board, with the Hong Kong Government's representative as one of the three member Board, the third being some independent figure with Colonial Service experience;
3. On the advice of the Selection Board, the
Head of Gibraltar and General department selects candidates for appointment and notifies the final choice in writing to the Hong Kong Government representative;
4. The Hong Kong Government issues the appropriate letter of appointment and the Head of Gibraltar and General department (or his representative) then confirms that the names of the appointed officers have been added to the list of HMOCS members.
36. We recommend that the Hong Kong Government be asked to accept responsibility for recruiting their own staff and that from 1 October 1976 the ideal establishment of the section should be
1 x DS 6/SEO Head of Section
1 x DS 9
1 x DS 10
37. We do not believe, however, that during the final stages of decolonization it is sensible either to deprive the section altogether of the experience and personal relationship which Mr Hall, the present DS 5(contract equivalent) has built up with HMOCS and other staff in the Dependent Territories or to attempt to replace him. It is also important that members of a service which has little real future outside Hong Kong but whose services may still be necessary in a few posts for a number of years should continue to have a point of contact and reassurance in
London.
13.
RESTRICTED ADMIN IN CONETDENCE
138.