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and 155 locally engaged staff. But, according to the
SOR for the new building, the space requirements for
immigration section visa would still amount to some 6400 sq
feet (including public waiting areas). It would therefore prove an expensive business to consider taking on
immigration work before the new building is completed.
suggests that we should plan to take on visa work as soon as the new building is operational, say in mid 1996.
Commercial/Economic Work
9.
This
Commercial and economic work currently involve 60% of
the Senior Trade Commissioner's time (50% commercial, 10%
economic), 55% of the DS4's time, one DS7, two LEIS and 3.5
LEIIIS. The schedule of requirements for the Consulate
General envisages in addition one DS5, one DS7, One LEI, one
LEII (Southern China) 4 LEIIIs and one LEIV. In the current financial year Mr Heap is investigating the possibility of
recruiting a first class locally engaged officer, (probably above the LEI maximum). He believes that there is also a
job now for a DS5 (see also para 16 below). The Chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board had expressed keen interest
in reinforcing the Trade Commission as soon as possible.
The PUS said in his letter to Sir Derek Hornby of 4 March,
that he would want steyen Day to address the needs on the
commercial/economic front as soon as he takes over the post
of Senior Trade Commissioner. It is likely therefore that
both the LEI and the DS5 slot will be filled by the next financial year.
The additional LE staff posts could be
filled as necessary in the period up to 1997. They can
probably be accommodated in the extra space which BTC have
already taken on.
Information
10.
The Information Section is already up to its
planned strength for the BCG, with one DS6, one LEII and one
LEIII staff member. Information Department are considering
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