ENT HOUSE HONG KONG.
Mr. Cox, HKD
ALD
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HKA 233/1
File
Mr. Goodlad's Meeting with the HMOCS Association 26 May 1992
Mr. Goodlad met the HMOCS Committee (list of attendees attached) for half an hour on 26 May. The Committee were firm but polite. Opening, Mr. Goodlad said that he appreciated the work of the HMOCS. He had seen a report of the meeting between the HMOCS Association and FCO/ODA officials. He was aware of correspondence from individual members of the HMOCs and the HMOCS proposals for a package. HMG was determined to reach satisfactory agreement on this. He would not be able to give any commitments today. The issues were still under discussion in London. But he welcomed the opportunity to hear their concerns at first hand.
2.
Mr. Birch (the acting Chairman) said that the HMOCS had been born of concern and frustration after many years of delay by HMG in putting forward proposals. They had been disappointed by the talks earlier this month. They believed that Hong Kong's special circumstances merited a decent package. The scheme HMG had put forward penalised those who refused to serve communist China after 1997. It lacked four vital elements that had featured in comparable schemes for other colonies, namely: the right to retire with pension in 1997, separation of compensation from incentives, a fair level of compensation, Sterling safeguards. The HMOCS's proposal had been designed to overcome this. It was designed to be helpful. He hoped that HMG would be prepared to discuss it with them.
3.
Other speakers stressed the strength of feeling particularly among the younger members on this issue, the genuine desire to avoid embarrassing HMG, and the need to put forward soon adequate proposals if a haemorrhage of officers before 1997 was to be avoided. Particular points made were:
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