concern that we should respond swiftly and positively to the Governor's appeal for tents. We have been in touch with the MOD and the ODA. Every effort is being made to supply the required tents as a matter of extreme urgency. ODA have located a source of 92 suitable tents which could be prepared for shipment witin 3-4 days. Cathay Pacific are able to offer sufficient freight capacity within the same timescale.
6.
The costs involved are as follows. The tents will cost about £250,000, including air freight. The Lei Yue Mun project is estimated by the Hong Kong Government to be likely to cost up to HK$50 million (about £4 million). suspect that this represents a very rough estimate.
I
7. I think it would be tactically unwise to go to the Treasury for additional funds to meet the cost of tents alone. The amount involved is too small to be taken seriously as a bid on the Reserve. It would moreover be difficult subsequently to go back to the Treasury in respect of the Lei Yue Mun project. In practice, these are matters which will need to be considered in the context of the OD meeting. I am sure the right approach would be to cover both items in a single bid.
8. It would be unrealistic to expect the Treasury to respond instantly to a bid involving such significant funds. I therefore think that if we are to respond to the Governor's request for tents within the necessary timescale, a decision will have to be taken before we know the terms of the Chief Secretary's reply. If he were subsequently to reject the bid in toto, the question of using ODA funds for the tents would have to be re-opened with Mr Patten.
ARPane
A R Paul
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