اد
NOTE ON "GOVERNORS'
1.
POSTS" FCO PAPER
What the paper fails to do is to record and analyse what the duties of a Governor are, and therefore, what the "profile" is of a suitable candidate. It was obvious from the FCO Inspectors' visit to Cayman in 1988 that they had little idea, indeed they expressed their amazement at the range of responsibilities.
2. The profile should include suitable experience of actually administering an organisation, of an active role in a political framework, and candidates need to be of an age which will make them acceptable to their Executive Council and Legislative Assembly.
3. I would say not younger than 50 years of age and probably not more than 55, normally.
4.
responsibilities
as
I find it hard to believe that the at DS4 level in an Embassy or in the FCO are the same those of a Governor. The multiplicity of small daily decisions and the larger decisions which have to be made, generally without reference, and on ones' own assessment of the effects, are surely not paralleled in ordinary DS4 work?
5.
30s
The above-average DS officer or early forties, I believe.
be in a Governor's post.
6.
for
reaches
DS4 in his late This is too young to
The DS4 officer in his early fifties is either hoping a final DS3 appointment,
or accepting the fact that The former case argues for
he isn't going to get one.
grading Governors at DS3, in order to get experienced and competent people; the latter argues against grading Governor's posts at DS4 because of what type of candidate would be available.
7. I believe that the field of candidates is:
a) remaining HMOCS officers in Hong Kong;
b) ex-military officers of say Brigadier level and above;
colonial/CRO
c) DS Officers who either have had already some background (a diminishing number of course), or show an interest or a talent at Executive Administration as opposed to Diplomatic work. The "special" posts of Gibraltar and' the Falklands could be filled by serving or recently serving military officers or Diplomats. Hong Kong remains a a special
case.
d) - occasionally! - AGs or Iss from smaller territones.
8. In regård to emoluments, I cannot see and Gibraltar should be excluded out of hand?
are
why Hong Kong