R.. Burns, Esq.
-2-
10th July, 1990
Her Majesty's Government requiring the former Colonial Government to preserve the sterling value of overseas pensions: and this is not an acceptable argument. to deter HMG from doing justice to Hong Kong overseas pensioners.:
The establishment of a small fund to make one-off payments to any pensioners in distress, while welcome as a small mercy, does not deal with the main issue... Nor is it relevant to say that there are not cases of hardship and that even with depreciated sterling Hong Kong pensioners are doing reasonably well in comparison with other pensioners. Equity and justice, requires that the pensions which Hong Kong overseas pensioners have earned should be paid at a fixed sterling rate of exchange to them in their retire- ment to the country which, is their home... In past correspondence;
›
over several years now we have suggested means. of achieving this; either through SPOS or by the take-over under the. Overseas Pensions Act 1973 against reimbursement by the Hong Kong Government.Although none of these suggestions were acceptable, this is not an issue which will go away and it is one which this Association will continue to press both for present pensioners prior to 1997, and then for those who retire thereafter.
*
The primary responsibility to rectify the situation rests with the Hong Kong Government, but we feel very strongly that in view of HMG's special responsibilities for HMOCS, both for serving officers and for pensioners, HMG should press and prevail upon the Hong Kong Government to do this. If this line is not acceptable then HMG itself must rectify the situation.
May I and a small .delegation, including Sir Philip Haddon-Cave and Mr. Colvyn Haye, who have been..in touch with the Chief Secretary and the Governor of Hong Kong, call on you at a mutually convenient. date, so as to have the opportunity of meeting you and to take the matter further?
Yours sincerely,
ли
(F.N.M. Pusinelli)
Chairman