CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 161
OF 180535Z JANUARY 92
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
014611
MDLIAN 8102
3
431/1
HKA 2334
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.
2
FROM PS/GH.
YOUR TELNO 67: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS.
1.
YOUR PUZZLEMENT ARISES FROM A BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SYSTEM OF APPOINTMENTS IN THE FCO AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. UNLIKE IN THE FCO, WHEN AN OFFICER IS APPOINTED TO A POST IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HE IS NOT NECESSARILY PROMOTED TO THAT RANK. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS.
2. THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE YESTERDAY (MY TELNO 146) REFERRED ONLY TO APPOINTMENTS, NOT/NOT PROMOTIONS. MR.EASON WILL BE ACTING IN THE RANK OF SECRETARY WHEN HE IS APPOINTED AS SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS. HE WILL NOT AT THIS STAGE BE PROMOTED TO THAT RANK. WHEN THE APPROPRIATE PROMOTION BOARD CONSIDERS THAT HE SHOULD BE PROMOTED SUBSTANTIVELY TO THE RANK OF SECRETARY, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL WILL OF COURSE BE SOUGHT.
SO FAR AS WE ARE AWARE, THEREFORE, THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT NOTHING HAS GONE WRONG. BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO OVER THIS WITH YOU IN MORE DETAIL NEXT WEEK IF YOU WOULD FIND IT HELPFUL.
3.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
26
LIMITED
HKD
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
DISTRIBUTION
26
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS