RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25090OZ FCO
TELNO 1347
OF 25024OZ APRIL 90
RESTRICTED
HK-C Isılı
RECEN
16 MAY 1990
TRY
Eil
031616
MDHIAN 8073
བ་3
YRFAX 001/24 OF 23 APRIL: IVORY
1. WE SUGGEST YOU DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING IN REPLYING TO MR WALDEGRAVE'S LETTER OF 18 APRIL:
2. WE WOULD NOT WISH TO COMMENT ON THE ACCURACY OF THE (UNNAMED)
ARTICLE'S QUOTE FROM WWF'S DAVID MELVILLE.
3. THE 70-80 PER CENT QUOTED RE-EMPLOYMENT FIGURE ON THE PART OF THE CARVERS, HOWEVER, DOES NOT ACCORD WITH HOW THE SITUATION IS VIEWED HERE. AS EXAMPLES OF THIS:
·
(A) FROM THE IVORY TRADE GENERALLY A TOTAL OF 194 PERSONS HAVE SO FAR REGISTERED FOR JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT'S LABOUR DEPARTMENT. MOST OF THESE ARE CARVERS, AND TO DATE 30 PLACEMENTS (15 PER CENT) HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.
(B) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRINCIPAL CARVERS' UNION IS OF THE VIEW, EXPRESSED ON 24 APRIL, THAT ONLY SOME 20 PER CENT OF CARVERS HAVE FOUND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT.
(C) THROUGH OMELCO, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE CARVERS' UNION TO MOUNT DEDICATED PART-TIME COURSES TO ENABLE CARVERS TO SWITCH TO ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT MORE EASILY. THE UNION HAS INDICATED THAT UP TO 400 CARVERS MAY ENROL. WHILE SOME MAY BE NON-UNION MEMBERS, THE FACT THAT UNION MEMBERSHIP IS IN THE ORDER OF ONLY 500 PUTS THE MATTER IN PERSPECTIVE.
WILSON
YYYY