TNAG-0703-FCO40-868-Recruitment-policy-for-Hong-Kong-use-of-Colonial-Regulation--1978 — Page 16

Mrs Gregory

Mr Hall

Mr

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My Stewart

HKA412/393/13 Reference....

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HKA 412/393/3.

HONG KONG: RECRUITMENT POLICY

INDEX

NO

?A

1. HK have now tried to explain their original obscure telegram about recruitment policy (folio 1) with a further, arguably even more obscure telegram (folio 5). I believe that I now understand what they are driving at - that a 'promotion' post is only within a department, eg in the Housing Department, Chief Quantity Surveyor is a promotion post for senior quantity surveyors and quantity surveyors in that department only. It is not a promotion post for qualified officers from other departments. 2. To protect their localisation policy HK want us to agree

the dains of a that the interpretation of CR18 should be that meritorious

A officers in the Public Service should only take precedence over those of persons outside the Service if the post is a promotion post for him. If it is not and he is an expatriate preference will be given to a suitably qualified local officer or local candidate from the general public.

3. I can understand this point of view as it relates to contract officers, who are recruited for a particular post and cannot expect career prospects. However I am concerned that if HK's proposal were agreed to, career prospects of permanent and pensionable expatriate officers might well be affected adversely. This has to be set against the undoubted advantages of localisation. I attach a draft telegram proposing that p and p officers, whether local or overseas, should be given first consideration for any vacancy, but that overseas contract officers and non-public service applicants should not be

considered until after local contract officers and outside local candidates have been considered. This seems a fair compromise which should prove acceptable.

13 March 1978

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