RESTRICTED STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
HKC 0.31 17 2031/17
16
140746
MDLOAN 5318
RESTRICTED
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TELNO 109
OF 30103OZ AUGUST 90
RECE
5 SEP 1990
GISTRY
...Taken
PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, FROM ANDREW BURNS
INSPECTION : MANPOWER RESOURCES
1.
AS I AM SURE YOU RECOGNISE, THE INSPECTORS WILL BE COMING OUT TO SEE YOU WITH A REMIT TO LOOK FOR SAVINGS AMONGST YOUR STAFF. IN THIS, THEY ARE STIMULATED BY THE OPTIONS SET OUT IN YOUR LAST TMR AND BY THE RECENT IMPRESSIONS OF THE CHIEF CLERK. ALAN PAUL HAS SHOWN ME YOUR LETTERS OF 25 JUNE (TO HIM) AND 7 AUGUST (TO CARTER). YOU MAY BE SURE THAT WE WILL BRIEF THE INSPECTORS VIGOROUSLY NEXT WEEK ON THE CASE FOR KEEPING UKREP JLG UP TO STRENGTH. LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ARGUMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO ADVANCE IN YOUR INTEREST.
2.
NONETHELESS, RESOURCE PRESSURES ARE ACUTE AND I SHOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR ON POSSIBLE FALLBACK POSITIONS. THE GOVERNOR HAS VOLUNTEERED THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT GRADE 4-EQUIVALENT FROM HIS OWN RESOURCES. I AM NOT SURE THAT THAT SOUNDS A GOOD IDEA, EVEN IF SOMEONE OF SUITABLE CALIBRE COULD BE FOUND. BUT I SHOULD WELCOME YOUR PERSONAL VIEWS. 3. AN ALTERNATIVE SCENARIO WOULD INVOLVE THE BTC. I HAVE SEPARATELY TOLD POD, WITH ROBIN MCLAREN'S AGREEMENT, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DEPUTY BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER POST UPGRADED TO GRADE 4. THE INSPECTORS WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS WHILE THEY ARE IN HONG KONG, BUT, UNLESS THEY SEE INSUPERABLE HURDLES, WE SHALL PRESS VIGOROUSLY FOR THIS TO BE DONE. ONE POSSIBILITY, HOWEVER, WOULD BE FOR THAT POST IN THE BTC TO BE COMBINED WITH THE DEPUTY'S POST IN UKREP JLG. IN THE LONG-TERM, THE TWO OFFICES MAY NEED TO COMBINE: INDEED, A START HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE BY THE APPOINTMENT OF A JOINT INFORMATION OFFICER. COULD BE ARGUED THAT SUCH A DUAL ROLE RUNS CONTRARY TO JD 186. BUT NEITHER SIDE SEEMS TO OBSERVE THIS AND THE THE RESTRICTION ON ACTIVITIES THERE SEEMS HONOURED MORE IN THE BREACH, ESPECIALLY BY THE CHINESE. ON THE OTHER HAND, MIGHT SUCH A JOINT ROLE CAUSE BAD VIBES IN HONG KONG? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I WOULD NOT OBJECT TO YOUR SOUNDING OUT PETER HEAP IF YOU WISHED.
IT
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RESTRICTED STAFF IN CONFIDENCE