TNAG-1957-FCO40-2786-Hong-Kong-Animals-and-Plants-(Protection-of-Endangered-Speci-1989 — Page 6

prove more palatable if the proposal is put as an alternative to the international "buy-out' option. A specific time limited reservation will also help coupled with an assurance that existing ivory stocks will be stringently controlled by

Government.

FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

16

Additional funds will be required to organize and operate the retraining programme. Detailed costings are not known at this stage, but on the basis of existing training courses the charge to public funds for courses of six months duration, should all eligible workers participate, could be as high as $84 million. This sum includes $2,500 per month subsistence allowance for each trainee for

trainee for six months and the cost of training material, and temporary training staff. In practice the number of participants is likely to be far less, but at the present time we have no reliable data from which to work. We would aim to ensure that the total cost of this retraining programme did not

did not exceed an upper limit $10 million.

of

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

17

The Endangered Species Advisory Board considered the matter on 31 October. It concurred with the

the proposals to establish an international fund to buy out stocks and the entering of a reservation. The Board, however, recommended a reservation valid for either two years or for no fixed period but coupled to the establishment of a bonded warehouse to hold all ivory (the view of the Administration is that

that six months remains the best we can expect).

PUBLIC REACTION

18

a

reservation

It is public knowledge that the ivory trade

trade has requested the creation of a buy-out fund and the entering of

behalf. on Hong Kong's

Public awareness has increased since the demonstrations by the ivory workers and there is some sympathy for their plight. The media has also been supportive. The UK's role in representing Hong Kong's

interests will attract attention.

PUBLICITY

18

any

It is not intended that there should be publicity until the UK's reaction to the proposals is known. A press line will be prepared.