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FM BTC HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 22073OZ FCO TELNO 344
OF 22050OZ NOVEMBER 91
INFO DESKBY 22073OZ DTI INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
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HKD 26
026/1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
254
074451 MDHIAN 3068
YOUR TELNO 250: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS: BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DINNER BALL.
1.
IT IS POSSIBLE, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE OCCASION, THAT NO MAJOR ISSUES WILL BE RAISED IN A SUBSTANTIVE WAY WITH LORD CAITHNESS AT THIS EVENT. THE MOST LIKELY TO COME UP HOWEVER ARE THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL, THE FUTURE OF BRITISH EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, AND CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN.
2 (I). COURT OF FINAL APPEAL.
SOME MEMBERS WANT THE CHAMBER TO TAKE TOUGH AND CRITICAL LINE ON THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL. THEY RECENTLY DRAFTED A PRESS RELEASE (WHICH I FAXED TO HKD) WHICH IS CRITICAL OF THE JLG AND THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION WHICH SUGGESTED THAT THE OUTCOME OF THE JLG'S DISCUSSIONS WOULD BE DAMAGING TO BUSINESS CONFIDENCE. I PERSUADED THEM AT A CHAMBER GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING NOT TO ISSUE THAT PRESS RELEASE AND A MODERATED VERSION IS NOW BEING DRAFTED WHICH I HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAMBER (WALLACE) HAS IT IN MIND TO TRY TO KILL THE IDEA OF A PRESS STATEMENT BY GIVING THE CHIEF PROPONENT OF THE AGGRESSIVE LINE CANTHONY WOOD, A PARTNER IN THE SOLICITORS MCKENNA AND CO), A CHANCE TO MEET LORD CAITHNESS AT THE CHAMBER DINNER, PROBABLY BY SEATING THEM AT THE SAME TABLE. THERE IS THUS A HIGH CHANCE THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE RAISED.
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(II) EDUCATION.
THE CHAMBER HAS RECENTLY COME TO THE VIEW THAT THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION IN HONG KONG IS NOT WELL-MANAGED AND HAS INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES FOR NEW SCHOOLS, EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ETC... THEY SEE THE PAST EXCELLENCE OF THE ENGLISH EDUCATION SYSTEM AVAILABLE IN THESE SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG AS A POWERFUL ATTRACTION TO BRITISH BUSINESS EXPATRIATES, AND ARE CONCERNED THAT THE VALUE OF THIS FACILITY SHOULD BE RECOGNISED AND THAT ADEQUATE RESOURCES ARE GIVEN TO IT.
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