TNAG-2429-FCO40-3531-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-poli-1993 — Page 198

JUVERNENT

HOUSE HUNG KUNG.

Not LCS nder Hmots charve, buf- allowed to

go by HKG!

20

TUE 03 NOV 92 08:29

File No.

M. Idag

CONFIDENTIAL 04/3010

P DEV. 30.10.92

HMOCS Association

PG.03

File 5.8

Page

The following were the main points discussed when Mr Michael Cartland, Chairman of the HMOCS Association, called on Governor on 28 October:

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(c)

(d)

The Governor caid that as UK Minister of Overcoac Development, he had been involved with the consequences of previous dishonourable behaviour over Ĉentral African pensioners. He had eventually succeeded in persuading the Treasury to do a deal. He had tried to sort the Hong Kong HMOCS issue out before he arrived here as Governor, but there had been considerable resistance from the Treasury. He was fully aware of the issues and very sympathetic to the position of HMOCS members in Hong Kong. also understood that the longer the dispute dragged on, the more likely it was that the more militant members of HMOCS would become involved.

He

The Governor said that the Treasury had no real case on sterling safeguards and that we would have to go on arguing that the compensation terms should be comparable with those for other dependent territories. He had written to the Secretary of State on both these points. But he thought that there was a problem about the right to retire in Hong Kong's special circumstances. He hoped that we could deal with this issue by being sensible and generous with those individuals who were affected by 1997.

Mr Cartland said that he personally understood why it was difficult for the Government to agree to the right to retire. Of the 700 odd members of the HMOCS in Hong Kong, many would retire before 1997, one way or the other. About 180 would be left in 1997, mostly younger AOs and Police. They would be upset at being, in effect, forced to remain in the service of the SARG. Many did not want to work for the PRC. He was concerned that it would not be possible to cover all these cases under the local compensation scheme, because of the financial and numerical limits that had been imposed on that. And he expected problems with Finance Committee if we attempted to obtain more funds for the scheme.

The Governor asked how many members of HMOCS would be prepared to continue beyond 1997. Mr Cartland said that he did not think that very many would, but some certainly would. These would be people who would find it difficult to change jobs in mid-career and find other work in the present world economic situation.

G.F

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CONFIDENTIAL