TNAG-0070-FCO40-106-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-propaganda-1968 — Page 85

CONFIDENTIAL

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straight attachment. His value is the fact that he is an SCA man and known as such. An additional L.0. I post should be created permanently in SCA to allow for this posting. The RHK officers present a less-easily soluble problem. If Mr. Cheng's career is in radio, then on the face of it the SPU however it will in future be constituted, cannot offer him the same prospects. Mr. Kaye on the other hand, with less service at RHK might convert more profitably. On the other hand the two RHK men might be treated on the same basis as is proposed for the SCA Liaison Officer. It is for the Director of Broadcasting to say how suitable it would be for him to have additional permanent posts of one Programme Supervisor and one Programme Officer on the understanding that one of each would be permanently attached to SPU. The problem would seem to be an internal one for Director of Broadcasting as to how well such people could be re-integrated in RHK, which secondment or attachment implies, If Director of Broadcasting feels this is impractical then the two officers at present in SPU will have to transfer, if they are willing, to the information grade, and if the other proposals, sketched in Part II for a long time scale information grade, are accepted, will have to get their career prospects within that grade. Although it has been suggested above that Cheng might have diminished prospects outside RHK this does not mean he will have no prospects at all. If we develop a comprehensive policy of using all media for positive programmes of public information and publicity, if we produce a sensible information officer structure based upon performance and not on an inappropriate departmental pyramid, and assuming, as there is no reason not to assume, a sensible working relationship with RHK, then people like Cheng should have reasonable careers if they transfer.

28.

It is proposed that all other staff not mentioned above should be transferred permanently to the SPU or its successor organisation.

29.

These proposals for the continuation and the staffing of the SPU are related to the proposals for information services generally. If certain parts of the information service are decentralised as suggested, and other parts drawn into the central secretariat organisation it will be logical and natural to have there, in addition to the central press service described in paragraphs 18 29 of Part II, a unit carrying out the work of the present SPU.

/SPU.........