Mr Stratton
PS/PUS
COVERING STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
Mer Shattan
P.Ajols
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STAFFING THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES IN THE 1980s
1. The Permanent Under-Secretary wishes to hold a meeting towards the end of this month to discuss my paper of 22 June on "Staffing the Dependent Territories in the 1980s". I shall be away from the Office visiting Hong Kong until 25 October.
2. Since the paper was first submitted copies have been sent to the Governors of the Territories directly affected and to
Sir Bruce Greatbatch, Head of the British Development Division in the Caribbean. I attach a summary of those comments which questioned the conclusions which I reached, or proposed alternative methods of dealing with the situation which will arise.
3. As you will see, many of the Governors doubt whether Diplomatic Service Officers are really qualified to hold senior administrative posts in Dependent Territories. But, at the same time, the suggestions they make, notably that the retiring age for HMOCS officers should be raised to 60 or even 65, will do no more than provide a temporary and partial solution. The fact remains that experienced colonial administrators are a fast disappearing body and the only candidates likely to be found will be from the Diplomatic Service.
4. I have also drafted, with the aid of Legal Advisers, a similar paper on the problems of providing senior judicial and legal staff for the Dependencies in the future. This too was distributed to all Governors of Dependencies. In this case they agreed unanimously with
the conclusions.
5. A meeting of the Dependent Territories Senior Appointments Board is to be held on 17 November. The Permanent Under-Secretary may consider that these two papers might also be discussed at that meeting.
HKA 431 #
RELIVED 2
CISKY NO. 51
f.A.B.Bend
9.ß.
JA B Stewart
7 October 1977
cc:
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Walker (POD)
SA
INDEX
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Hong Kong & General Dept
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