THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNTIL
UNDER FOI
EXEMPTION NO. 40(2)..
L.
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
·HKA4311
39317 GATE NO. 51
1 6 MAR 1978
PASTRY
Action Takoج
Jr
Cortazzi. Thank you.
L
PS/PUS
No
KÔNG
CHIEF SECRETARY HONG
Conclusion and Recommendation
Ich kon
91 70
१1
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1. I have considered this carefully and have concluded that we should agree to the appointment of Mr Cater as Chief Secretary, but that this should take effect not later than 1 July of this year and should be limited to a period of 18 months.
Argument
2. None of the other candidates mentioned in paragraphs 6 and 7 would I think do. Neither Mr Haddon-Cave nor Mr Jordan would be acceptable to Ministers. Mr Haddon-Cave's attitude is not that of the present Government in Britain. The same can be said of Mr Jordan who has an even more abrasive personality. Mr Akers Jones, Secretary of the New Territories, whom I do not know, is generally regarded as sound but not inspired. Mr Li Fook Kow the Secretary for Home Affairs, according to Sir Murray MacLehose "has not got the necessary steam"
Sir David Trench
at the last Colonial Appointments Board made it clear that he did not think Mr Lloyd (now in Bermuda), was suitable. I would endorse that view in the light of his recent performance in Bermuda. Mr Alan Scott, the Secretary for Housing, although not mentioned by the Governor, is well regarded in Hong Kong and might be a candidate in due course, but I do not think he is yet senior enough. Mr Cater has done a good job at the ICAC and is probably the most progressive of Hong Kong Civil Servants.
3. The trouble with all these candidates is that the bulk of their careers has been spent in Hong Kong. This means inevitably that they are not in full touch with thinking in this country. This would not matter so much if Hong Kong were a genuinely self-governing colony with an elected Government.
But it is not
and never can be. It is therefore particularly important in the case of Hong Kong that those in charge should understand and
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STAFF IN CONFIDENCE