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6.
CONFIDENTIAL
AS YOU KNOW, CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE UP TO 9 JANUARY TO COMMENT ON THE NEW PENSION AND LIMITED COMPENSATION SCHEMES. THESE SCHEMES
THE PAY LEVEL SURVEY IS APPEAR TO BE GENERALLY WELL-RECEIVED.
ALREADY PROVING CONTROVERSIAL AND IS LIKELY TO REMAIN A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE THROUGHOUT JANUARY.
AN
7. OTHER ISSUES LIKELY TO FEATURE PUBLICLY IN JANUARY INCLUDE THE REVIEW OF OUR POLICY ON FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS (A HIGHLY CONTRO- VERSIAL SUBJECT AFFECTING MANY HOUSEHOLDS EMPLOYING FILIPINO MAIDS) AND THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS ON REFORMING THE LAW ON SEXUAL OFFENCES (ANOTHER EMOTIVE ITEM DEALING WITH HOMOSEXUALITY). ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN LEGCO ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IS IN THE OFFING. THIS WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION, AS WILL ANY ANNOUNCEMENT ON HOW WE WOULD PROCEED WITH CABLE TV AND A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT. ON THE EDUCATION FRONT, THE DEBATE ON HKU'S PROPOSED SWITCH TO 4-YEAR COURSES WILL CONTINUE, AND THE PROPOSALS TO INCREASE STUDENT FEES AND TO REDUCE THE GRANT ELEMENT IN THE CURRENT STUDENT FINANCE SCHEME COULD GO PUBLIC IN JANUARY, WITH SOME NEGATIVE COMMENTS
EXPECTED.
8.
MOST OF THESE ISSUES SHOULD NOT CREATE ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND WE SHALL EXERCISE THE USUAL CARE IN PREPARING FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS. (NEEDLESS TO SAY ALL OF THEM WOULD BE OVERSHADOWED IF A SERIOUS NATURAL DISASTER OR OTHER MAJOR EVENT TOOK PLACE AT THE TIME. THE LUNAR NEW YEAR AT THE END OF JANUARY WOULD ALSO DIVERT LOCAL
PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.
AKERS-JONES
YYYY
HMLNA 6704
LIMITED.
MKO
PS
Psime RENTON
PSIPUS
CHIEF CLERK
MMR GILLMORE
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WILSON'
CONFIDENTIAL
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