RESTRICTED
075427 MDADAN 4110
THAT FOR SO LONG AS HONG KONG PROSPERS COSTS ESPECIALLY OF PEOPLE WILL BE HIGH. (AND IF, THE PROSPERITY SLIPS, THEN THERE WILL BE LESS NEED FOR SUCH A COMMITMENT OF EXPENSIVE BRITISH RESOURCES). I HAVE LOOKED AT THE PROPOSALS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ONE WHO MAY HAVE TO LIVE AND WORK IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 AND ARGUE THE ANNUAL TMR AND LOCAL BUDGET BIDS.
BUDGET POLICY
4.
IN CONSEQUENCE, I FIND OUR CURRENT AIMS UNBALANCED AND RECOMMEND:
(A) A MORE SEVERE SCRUTINY OF THE COST OF CG/BC BUILDING CI FEAR A PROCESS WHERE WE WILL BUILD THE COLUMN AND DISCARD NELSON AS TOO EXPENSIVE):
(B) A BALANCED STOCK OF STAFF HOUSING IN ACCORDANCE WITH WORLD- WIDE POLICY. CAT PRESENT, OUT OF 60 UK-BASED STAFF WE HAVE PLANS TO HOUSE ON 9 JUNIOR PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE AS AN OBJECTIVE ELSEWHERE):
(C) HIGHER PRIORITY FOR THE C-G'S RESIDENCE. THAT IS WHERE HALF HIS WORK WILL BE DONE AND MOST OF THE HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE. I AM NOT REPEAT NOT TALKING OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BUT HOW IT CAN DO THE JOB. I AM ASSURED BY HMA PEKING AND THE JLG THAT WE SHOULD ABANDON THE IDEA OF TAKING OVER THE GENERAL'S HOUSE:
(D) A SEARCH FOR MAXIMUM SHARED RUNNING COSTS WITH THE COUNCIL (E.G. MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION).
5. THERE SHOULD BE MORE COHERENCE IN OUR COSTINGS AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES. (FOR EXAMPLE, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE REASONING THAT LED TO GBP.5 MILLION OR SO BEING WRITTEN OFF ON THE ALBANY FLAT IN ORDER TO IMPRESS BUSINESSMEN, WHILE THE 'SOUTH CHINA MIRACLE' AS THE ECONOMIST TERMED IT, WILL SOON BE LOOKED AFTER BY ONE LE1 OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR'S EXPERIENCE).
THE NEW CONSULATE-GENERAL
6. I AND MY STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SUBMISSIONS. WE GAVE WEIGHTINGS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER OF PRIORITIES ·
RUNNING COSTS:
EFFICIENCY OF OPERATIONS:
SUITABILITY IN TIME OF TENSION:
CAPITAL COST:
PAGE
2
RESTRICTED
Page 60Page 61
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.