Treat as Confidenal
SECRET
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1125
OF 231203Z APRIL 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
M
с
124223 MDHIAN 1304
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD
HMOCS: HMOCS ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING
1. THE HMOCS ASSOCIATION HELD A GENERAL MEETING ON 21 APRIL TO CONSIDER HMG'S OPENING STATEMENT FOR CONSULTATIONS ON THE COMPENSATION SCHEME. ALTHOUGH THE MEETING WAS RESTRAINED, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE OPENING STATEMENT DID NOT ACCORD WITH THE PRACTICE ADOPTED FOR HMOCS IN OTHER TERRITORIES.
2. THE FOLLOWING POINTS WERE MADE, AND RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT, AT THE MEETING:
(A) GENERAL RIGHT TO RETIREMENT ON PENSION WITH COMPENSATION UPON THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY HAD BEEN PERMITTED IN ALL OTHER HMOCS TERRITORIES AND WAS PROVIDED FOR IN THE 1960 WHITE PAPER.
(B) HMOCS OFFICERS IN HONG KONG WERE APPARENTLY BEING DIRECTED TO TRANSFER THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO AN ALIEN COMMUNIST POWER AFTER 1997. IN OTHER TERRITORIES THE SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENTS WERE FREQUENTLY DOMINIONS AND WERE ALL WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH. HMOCS OFFICERS WERE CROWN SERVANTS IN RIGHT OF HMG OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE 1989 UK OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT WAS QUOTED AS AN EXAMPLE.
(C) THERE SHOULD BE A FAIR RATE OF COMPENSATION. ANY FINANCIAL INDUCEMENT TO STAY ON SHOULD BE SEPARATE AND ADDITIONAL TO COMPENSATION.
(D) THE QUESTION OF STERLING PENSION PROTECTION HAD NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
(E) THERE SHOULD BE A BALANCE BETWEEN LOOKING AFTER HMOCS OFFICERS' INTERESTS AND THE INTERESTS OF HMG. THE OPENING STATEMENT WAS ONE-SIDED.
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