TNAG-0798-FCO40-1002-Dispute-over-closure-of-Precious-Blood-Golden-Jubilee-Second-1978 — Page 161

GR 675

PRIORITY

CY HER CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 310852Z

See (3

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 672 OF 31 MAY 1978

INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

HKK 280/6..

INDEX

1978

31

(28)

MY TELNO 628; PRECIOUS BLOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL.

AS EXPECTED, THE CLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL HAS LED TO FURTHER

DEMONSTRATIONS BY TEACHERS, PUPILS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS, THE LATEST BEING A MASS RALLY AT VICTORIA PARK ON SUNDAY, 28 MAY. THESE HAVE AROUSED CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC AND PRESS INTEREST, VOCAL OPINION IS SPLIT FIARLY DOWN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THOSE SUPPORTING AND THOSE OPPOSING THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION. MUCH OF THE CRITICISM IS DIRECTED AT THE CLOSURE ITSELF AND APPEARS TO HAVE DERIVED FROM, SYMPATHY FOR THE PUPILS WHOSE EDUCATION HAS BEEN DISRUPTED. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE MAJORITY (SCMP AND STAR), ESSENTIALLY SUPPORTING THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ACTION, AND THE STANDARD WHICH HAS TAKEN A STRONGLY CRITICAL LINE, OF THE CHINESE PRESS, THE NON-COMMUNIST PAPERS (WITH ONE EXCEPTION) HAVE SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION OR, AT LEAST, NOT OPPOSED IT. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS LIMITED ITSELF LARGELY TO FACTUAL REPORTING AND HAS PUBLISHED READERS' LETTERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE

ARGUMENT.

2. THERE HAS NOT BEEN MUCH PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR THE SIXTEEN TEACHERS

WHO CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN VICTIMISED FOR REVEALING THE FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL. OFFICIAL PUBLICITY HAS STRESSED THAT THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS AND THE ISSUE OF WARNING LETTERS BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION LAST JUNE, AND THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FIRST LEARNT OF THE FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES FROM THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT (SEE PARA 3 OF MY TELMO 610).

3. OVER THE WEEKEND 27-28 MAY THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION CONFIRMED THAT SOME OF THE TEACHERS ASKED FOR AN INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMISSION ON 1 FEBRUARY 1977 (IE OVER TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT KNEW OF THE PROBLEM). THE ICAC STATEMENT MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE TEACHERS HAD BEEN ASKED, AND HAD REFUSED, TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO REFER THEIR ALLEGATIONS

CONFIDENTIAL

/TO THE