CONFIDENTIAL
This I think,
at this stage, given that, for example, no one yet has any
idea what soil conditions they will meet. The best that they
expect to be able to offer is a firm price in July. Mr Glaves-
Smith is therefore trying to find an "independent expert" (he
has in mind the Managing Director of the Channel Tunnel company),
who could go to Hong Kong in advance of the 19th to try to bring
home to the Hong Kong Government some of the problems involved,
and the disadvantages of fragmented contracts. Mr Glaves-Smith's
information is that at present the Hong Kong Government's
simplistic views about the advantages of competition, the empire
building of the PWD, and the natural desire of the commercial
groups in Hong Kong to divide such a large cake between them,
are being reinforced by the consultants, Freeman Fox & Partners.
is a pretty duming! They see in fragmented contracts an endless prospect of design new if a firm will d
a world inde
reputation which
shy not be
accepted lightly
ассерно
Kim Wilfor
Flag D
work and control to offset their recent bridge-building losses.
There is therefore an absence of technical advice on the draw-
backs of the method.
10. In commenting on my submission of 27 February, Mr Royle
asked whether a personal letter from him to the Governor might
not be appropriate now. I think that this could be useful to
commend the "independent expert" to the Governor as someone
whose advice is in both our interests. But if such a person
cannot be found now, I am inclined to think that it might be
more effective to save a Ministerial message until after
19 March. At the moment there is little that we can add on
our own account to Sir D Watson's letter. A general exhortation
5.
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/to remember
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