CONFIDENTIAL
working population from even a token chance of success under the
scheme. In forming a view on this proposal, Ministers will wish to consider the following points:
i) Eliminating the category "secretarial and clerical workers"
would remove only the route whereby staff from the British
Council, BTC and other British institutions would be able to
qualify under the scheme;
ii) The Governor has made a strong case that for maximum effect
on confidence in Hong Kong the scheme should be seen, as the
Secretary of State's statement said, "to embrace people from a wide range of walks of life". People should at least be
eligible in principle to apply even if there was little chance
of success;
iii) We have argued publicly that the scheme, while focussed on
key personnel, was not elitist. Eliminating the lower skill
groups would leave the scheme considerably more vulnerable to
criticism on the grounds of elitism than it otherwise would be.
(c) Key Entrepreneurs
4.
But
The Home Secretary argues that top businessmen, such as Li
Ka Shing, may not qualify under the points scheme largely
because of their age, and so the Governor should be given
discretion to disapply the age factor where he is satisfied that
individuals have an outstanding claim to be recommended. there are other factors which may disqualify such people,
including lack of formal qualifications and inadequate English.
They may also not wish to apply under a scheme where there is
any chance of failure when they may consider that they should
qualify (as the Home Secretary concedes) on their own merits.
It might be preferable for a small quota to be set aside for the
Governor's special recommendation designed to catch those whose
merits were self-evident but who, for one reason or another,
not qualify under the points scheme.
may
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CONFIDENTIAL