TNAG-2196-FCO40-3144-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 20

towngas

THE HONG KONG AND CHINA GAS COMPANY LIMITED

氯有限公司

MR PAUL, HKD

TWENTY-FOURTH FLOOR, LEIGHTON CENTRE,

77 LEIGHTON ROAD, HONG KONG.

G. P. O. BOX 134, HONG KONG,

858

for advice, plemni

MD/H1016/90

Ian Rull,

Aps/Lord Caithing

15:2

HKD 340/4

RECEIVER

29 OCT 1990

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Caithness OFFICEF c/o The Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Whitehall

SW1A 2AT England

1.

9 October, 1990

1. CARYER (LIST)

draft

2 MR MORRIS (DRAFT)

18/10

157.

Dear Sir,

In the course of your recent visit to Hong Kong, I had the pleasure of meeting you at a luncheon organised by Mr. Peter Heap, the Senior British Trade Commissioner. You will probably recall the occasion if only because of some difficulties with the lift!

At the end of the meal, Peter invited his guests to give you their views on various UK-HK issues. Time ran out before my turn came around, so I thought I would write to you instead.

I will confine my comments to two matters arising from the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act.

1.

2.

We

I totally support the comments made by fellow guests that the age range is too restrictive. The critical period for Hong Kong to my mind will be 1992 - 2002. will have to rely on managers now in their late 30's to late 40's to provide continuity throughout that period. Those now in their 40's are virtually excluded under the terms of the Act as currently presented. I ask you to press for relaxation of the range of ages for which full points are awarded.

On a separate matter, we are just beginning to learn how the points for "British Connections" will be awarded. It appears that only employees of British companies operating in Hong Kong will qualify for points in this category. This seems extraordinarily specific and unjust. For example, my own Company was founded in 1862 as a British registered company and today it is listed by the Business Archives Council as one of the one hundred oldest surviving British Companies. However, in October 1982 we transferred our corporate registration to Hong Kong in order to show our confidence in the Territory's future.

TELEPHONE: 890 1433 ● TELEX: 86086 GASCO HX •FAX: 577 5969 ● TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: "HYPOZOIC"

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