Redacted
'under FOI
exemption
40(2)
布政司
香港下亞
25
SECRET
**** OUR REF. SCR 6/2801/77 S.F.G
* Your Ref.:
J A B Stewart Esq OBE
Hong Kong & General Department F C/O
lee
like,
HKK. 382/2
27
AND GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT 22 FEBWER ALBERT ROAD
TRONG KONG
INDEX 30J 1978.
M 22uk M.T
w Questite
I Rapper is hall need to
перву reply & ockramledge atleast
It is intrestyy to find Dr Wilson writing on
this subject (and encoming!).
JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
114)
DX 5242.
Wittels
Our telegrams Nos. 113 of 26 January and 117 of 27 January will have given you brief details of recent developments in the JPOA. The Governor thought it would be helpful if I also gave you by letter some idea of our thinking about future tactics. I have consulted Bim Davies in writing this letter and shown it to him in draft.
2.
We have known since the JPOA was formed that we were dealing with something very different from an ordinary staff welfare association. About half the members of the self- appointed Preparatory Committee are already under interdiction. Besides these, other members have in the past been associated with corruption, even though this could not necessarily be proved in court.
The group as a whole benefits from its success in confronting the government last October/November. Consequently, both individually and collectively, the group is likely to vield considerable power. Unfortunately, we have to assume that their potential power is likely to be directed not towards matters of ordinary welfare alone, but towards protecting those vho have been accused of involvement in corruption, e.g. in the Yaumatei case.
3.
In dealing with this situation we are faced with both short and longer term problems. The short term problem is the JPOA elections. These have now started and, unless they are further disrupted, the lover tier elections will be concluded by mid February. Choosing the Executive Committee will probably take about a further two weeks. We have discussed at considerable length whether we should take any overt actions which might influence the course of these elections. One possibility would have been to press ahead with prosecutions in the Yaumatei case to demonstrate that the government is still intent on stamping out corruption, This might have had the effect of cutting the Preparatory Committee down to size and
/contd........
SECRET