CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 343.
OF 07070OZ FEBRUARY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
7
074363
MDLIAN 2721
HKA 431/1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM PS/GH
YOUR TELNO 122:
6
SENIOR APPOINTMENTS
1. AS YOU SAY, IT HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEEN THE PRACTICE TO INFORM YOU OF ACTING APPOINTMENTS AT SECRETARY LEVEL, RATHER THAN TO SEEK FORMAL APPROVAL OF SUCH APPOINTMENTS. THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THIS PRACTICE AS A RESULT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S LETTER OF 3 JUNE 1991.
2.
ALL ACTING APPOINTMENTS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE ARE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, NOT WITH A VIEW TO SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION. LONG TERM ACTING APPOINTMENTS AS SECRETARIES WILL USUALLY LEAD TO SUBSTANTIVE APPOINTMENTS, FOR WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL WOULD BE SOUGHT, BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. YOU WILL RECALL THAT T.H. CHAU WAS NOT CONFIRMED AFTER ACTING FOR SOMETIME IN THE POST OF SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE.
3. WE COULD OF COURSE SEEK THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL FOR ACTING APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO LEAD TO SUBSTANTIVE APPOINTMENTS AS SECRETARY, IF YOU FEEL THIS IS ESSENTIAL. HOWEVER, AS YOU POINT OUT, WITH THE APPROACH OF 1997 APPOINTMENTS OF SECRETARIES ARE LIKELY TO BECOME MORE SENSITIVE. WE WONDER IF IT IS WISE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM AT THIS STAGE. FOR MINISTERS TO BECOME INVOLVED NOW WITH ACTING APPOINTMENTS, WHICH HAVE HITHERTO BEEN MADE ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A FORMALLY CONSTITUTED POSTING BOARD ON WHICH THE CHAIRMAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SERVES AS AN OBSERVER, MAY BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND MAY PROVIDE AN UNHELPFUL PRECEDENT FOR POST-1997. THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDES FOR SECRETARY EQUIVALENTS POST-1997 TO BE APPOINTED BY PEKING ON THE NOMINATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. OUR BELIEF AND AIM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THIS SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS, LEAVING THE KEY DECISIONS IN THE HANDS OF THE LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THE GOVERNOR, WHILE UNDERSTANDING YOUR INTEREST IN THE QUESTION OF LOCALISATION AS A WHOLE, BELIEVES THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL, IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, NOT TO SET UP PROCEDURES WHICH
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