SECRET STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
(17
1433.60
MDLIAN 7140
SECRET
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 294
OF 31083OZ AUGUST 90
031/1
HKC031/17
RECL
5 SEP 1990
STAY
CISTRY
INL
PERSONAL FOR ANDREW BURNS, AUSS FROM GALSWORTHY
YOUR TELNO 109: INSPECTION: MANPOWER RESOURCES
1. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE BACKGROUND IN TUR, BUT RATHER DEPRESSED BY IT. FRANKLY I DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE THE INSPECTORS COMING HERE WITH A REMIT TO CUT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ASSURED THAT, WHATEVER PEOPLE MAY SAY, THEY COME TO POSTS WITHOUT PRECONCEIVED IDEAS. AT LEAST, I SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE BEING HONEST ABOUT IT.
I AM ALARMED THAT THEIR THINKING IS BEING CONDITIONED BY THE LAST TMR AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CHIEF CLERK. THE LAST TMR WAS WRITTEN BEFORE I ARRIVED HERE: IT IS NOW OUT OF DATE, AND I DO NOT
2.
IN ANY CASE AGREE WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS IN IT. THE CHIEF CLERK HAS NOT BEEN HERE IN MY TIME : I DO NOW KNOW WHEN HE DID COME, BUT HIS IMPRESSIONS CAN HARDLY BE RECENT, AND THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LOT SINCE LAST YEAR.
3=
AS YOU KNOW I AM CONVINCED THAT WE NEED A MINIMUM OF THREE OFFICERS HERE, THE SECOND AT A LEVEL CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING SUBSTANTIVE BUSINESS AND WITH A DEGREE OF EXPERIENCE. INSTANCE, DOUG MARTIN IS ABOUT TO CHAIR THE MILITARY LANDS EXPERT WORKING GROUP ON HIS RETURN FROM LEAVE AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH.
WE MUST HAVE ONE PERSON WHO CAN CREDIBLY FULFIL THIS SORT OF ROLE, WHICH FROM NOW ON WILL BE ON THE INCREASE. IT MUST ALSO BE A PERSON WHO CAN TAKE CHARGE OF THE OFFICE WHEN I AM ABSENT. BEAR IN MIND THAT FROM NEXT FEBRUARY OUR THIRD STRING WILL BE A NEWLY FLEDGED LANGUAGE STUDENT WITH ALMOST NO OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE. WE CAN TRAIN HIM, BUT HE WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ON TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY TOO EARLY, AND HE WON'T CARRY WEIGHT WITH HKG FOR SOME TIME.
4.
I THINK THE NEED FOR SUCH A PERSON IS IMPLICITLY RECOGNISED IN YOUR SUGGESTED FALL BACK POSITIONS, BOTH OF WHICH CONTAIN SOME KIND OF GRADE 4.
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958