TNAG-2442-FCO40-3549-Hong-Kong-Civil-Service-appointments-and-promotions-1992 — Page 46

HKA 431/1

431/1

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHOAN 8839

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1992 to HK CS

Appli

Premtas.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 122

OF 27170OZ JANUARY 92

PERSONAL FOR PS/GH FROM RICKETTS, HKD

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TOP COP?? Q DIST C

YOUR TELNOS 161 AND 229: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS

1.

HK Civil Service Gen

(HKB 216/1 in 1991)

On 3011

MATT Williams

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I DISCUSSED THIS BRIEFLY WITH YOU LAST WEEK, AND UNDERTOOK TO SEND OUR CONSIDERED THOUGHTS

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2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S LETTER OF 3 JUNE 1991 TO THE GOVERNOR REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY THE NUMBER OF POSTS THE ''APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS'' TO WHICH REQUIRED THE APPROVAL OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE. THE AIM OF THIS WAS PRIMARILY TO DELEGATE TO HONG KONG AS MANY APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS AS POSSIBLE AND BROADLY TO MIRROR THE POSITION IN THE BASIC LAW: BUT IT ALSO RECOGNISED THAT THE EXISTING SYSTEM HAD BECOME A RUBBER STAMP AND WAS INAPPROPRIATE.

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3. I UNDERSTAND THAT, IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE INFORMED US AT THE TIME APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE POSTS OF SECRETARIES OF POLICY AND RESOURCE BRANCHES, ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE PEOPLE CONCERNED WERE NORMALLY APPOINTED WITHOUT SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION: AND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL WAS THEN LATER SOUGHT FOR THE SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION. BUT THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT ENABLE MINISTERS TO HAVE ANY SAY IN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF A CANDIDATE TO FILL A SECRETARY JOB. THE SUBSEQUENT APPROVAL OF PROMOTION MUST IN MOST CASES BE A FORMALITY. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO TAKE ISSUE WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR SUCH A PROMOTION IF THE PERSON HAD BEEN ACTING IN THE POST FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME.

AS WE MOVE INTO THE FINAL PHASE OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD, WE BELIEVE THAT SENIOR APPOINTMENTS IN THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION ARE GOING TO BECOME MORE POLITICALLY SENSITIVE, AND THAT MINISTERS WILL WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THESE

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