TNAG-1459-FCO40-1983-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1986 — Page 33

CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd. 7/84

Reference......

THE CONSUL GENERAL'S FIRST VISIT TO MACAO 3/5 JUNE 1986

Father Lancelot met me on the steps of the Centre for Social Welfare, the Jesuit organisation that looks after refugees. He has been in Macao for 50 years. He was born in Malaya and was sent to Macao by his parents in response to a call from the Bishop for young trainees for the priesthood. He was confined to Macao during World War II and was ordained immediately afterwards. He wears an open-necked fancy shirt and no dog collar. He is our consular warden, of course. He also looks out for the consular interests of the Americans, Australians, Germans and others. He has good contacts with the Police and the Army (he is the Chaplain to both). Heis a very outgoing person and fond of a drink (Black Label). He plays the guitar and sings. Though obviously very happy in Macao, Father Lancelot travels quite a lot. He spends a couple of months in Europe each year on refugee business.

2. I called on Malcolm Curry, the head of Cable & Wireless in Macao. He has been here for three months (he was in Botswana for some time and has also served in West and East Africa). Cable & Wireless were given the franchise to run the telephone service in Macao (TELEMAC) about four years ago. Ten percent of the local company in Macao is owned by the Macao Government. The concession will last until 2001. Under the terms of the agreement the company has to source its equipment in Portugal and if the equipment is not available there, it must institute other business in Portugal equivalent in value to the items purchased elsewhere. Most of the Cable & Wireless equipment used in Macao was bought from Ericsson (Sweden). I asked about the British System X. Mr. Curry said System X was not available when they bought from Ericsson and now they were unlikely to buy from anybody else. In any case British Telecom were not introducing System X at a pace that indicated complete confidence in it. Cable & Wireless had about 60 British people in Macao at the peak of their installation work. Now there were about 40 engineers and wives and the number would be down to about 20 by the end of this year. Curry said Cable & Wireless still constituted the main focus of the British community in Macao but whereas the number of Cable & Wireless staff was declining, the number of British people at the University was increasing. thought the University would soon be the largest group. The third largest group comprised the British dancers at the Crazy Paris Show. There were about 10 of these.

3.

Mr

He

I called on Liz Thomas at Macao Mini Mokes. She was a secretary in Hong Kong up to about four years ago (she worked for the Honorary Consul for the Seychelles). She and her husband were frequent visitors to Macao and they had noted the absence of car-hire firms. They decided to launch Mini Mokes. The only factory still producing mini mokes is in Portugal but the engines are still made in

They have about 40 vehicles and are doing good

Coventry. business.

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3Q JUL 1986

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