TNAG-0613-FCO40-761-Visits-of-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1977 — Page 20

RED US TO SETITELMAN 'AS PALMSTA

four

further

GR The proposal for the study was commended but who should do it? Should it be CP? MM It would have to be, but he needs help. He, Slevin, was the only police officer who stood firmly in support of the Governor saying there should be no concession after the amnesty. Insofar as Slevin was out of touch with the men, or resented by them, it was because of his

support for ICAC.

was required was a key staff officer.

time. GR was

What

With 20,000 men, reforms would take some

at

or

concerned

MM said there

It did not

the

successful

JS felt that

He

nevertheless

the small number of Chinese in senior ranks. had been a good deal of accelerated promotion. matter whether this was local or expatriate but it must

but it must be good.

a feel of the The expatriates spoke excellent Chinese and had a rank and file. GR said there was a continuing impression of expatriate leadership. Would it be possible to feed in by transfer or promotion an increase of non expatriates over

next 4

MM 5 years?

did not know but felt most

and senior Chinese police officers were crooks. there was no substitute for more Chinese senior officers. had commanded a gendarmarie and spoke fluent Somali - he had to rely on Somali officers for assessment of the feelings An out- of the rank and file. MM did not wish to dispute this. side view on police problems would be valuable but there was

It Chinese officers. more single panacea such as important to promote good men than to promote on racial grounds.

GR said he presumed

a better word a "study" would be "Inquiry" for what was contemplated. MM agreed. He resisted the use of the word 'inquiry "for what was needed was a thoughtful practical study. GR said he presumed there would be continuing recommendations. MM said a study would be conducted partly by people from London, partly local. Some steps might be taken straight away but he had asked for a report at the end of the year. GR said he presumed the Governor would be kept in touch with

if he too could be informed. MM was glad to progress and asked

agree.

was more

than

no

Mr. Cortazzi (HC) asked if anything needed to be done to restore

said

no.

claws

MM the image of ICAC. emerged as victor with its

mation on the rotten apples;

ICAC should be left for it had

still in tact. It had infor-

it was

organisation, perhaps among the

a potent, investigative

best in the world.

•

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