CODE 18-77
Miss Brett-Rooks
Reference
HKA 431113
SWAPR 1981
! BBR ICR
сп
28)
FUTURE STAFFING OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
I have been through all the comments of Governors and set out below my views and suggested amendments to the paper.
1.
2.
Bermuda (folios 13A and 19)
Mr Lloyd raises a number of useful points. First he divides the staff requirements into 3 categories, finance, political and administrative. I agree that there will be difficulty in filling the finance posts. Nevertheless we've just got to surmount these difficulties by utilising what we've already got (eg HMOCS); using DS staff and as they acquire experience bring them back again into the more difficult posts at a later date, and also by using Treasury and ODA staff as well. I see no need for his division of other posts into those needing diplomatic skills and purely administrative skills.
3. Hong Kong's views on the use of Hong Kong as a training ground as suggested by Mr Lloyd are at folio 22. In practice it is not likely that the circumstances at the time would warrant using Hong Kong as a training ground. Nevertheless Hong Kong is willing to help if the man is right and also the circumstances.
4. On length of tours, (para 8(a) of Bermuda letter) we have deliberately kept tours of Governors and other senior officers down to 3 years generally. The Appointments Board in 1969 recommended Governors' appointments should be 3 years in the first instance (Hong Kong 5 years) and this was agreed with the Palace. The plain fact is that our small islands are claustrophobic and officers tend to become too inward looking if they stay too long. Even Bermuda is so small that 3 years can be quite enough for some officers. Tours can always be extended where the circumstances and the officers justify it. This point was also raised at the Governors' Conference (see folio 20).
5. (para 8(c) and (d) of Bermuda letter). We certainly circulated the HCS some years ago with little success. Occasionally ex HMOCS officers now in the HCS come back into consideration after they have rid themselves of educational commitments. If they are interested, they will make contact with us in any case. We have in the past sounded out MOD over the Administrator Ascension Island but I see no reason why we shouldn't use our own officers first. We can always use MOD as a last resort.
6.
Falkland Islands (folio 21)
The Governor (and Inspectors) do not think that the job of Chief Secretary could be used for on the job training though someone with previous experience at a lower level could undertake. the work. The plain fact is that the Falkland Islands is a fairly backward constitutional stage. The Chief
in
/Secretary