TNAG-2661-FCO40-3857-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 136

COSTS

CONFIDENTIAL

012563

MDLIAN 8414

9. HITHERTO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN CONSULTED ON ANY ASPECT OF COSTING, THOUGH I HOPE MY SUGGESTIONS FOR CONTROLLING COSTS ARE NOW BEING LOOKED AT. OBVIOUSLY, THE TARGETS WILL BE SET IN LONDON BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE LOCAL GROUP TO HAVE A DIRECTIVE ON THE FINANCIAL PARAMETERS AND THE WEIGHT ATTACHED TO CONTAINING COSTS, BOTH CAPITAL AND RECURRENT. IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE WE HAVE TO BEGIN PREPARING MODEL BUDGETS FOR THE NEW CONSULATE- GENERAL. MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE WOULD LIKE TO START NOW.

STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

10.

WE MUST SOON BEGIN TRAINING AND BUILDING UP LE STAFF FOR THE FUTURE CONSULATE-GENERAL. AS A FIRST STEP I REQUEST APPROVAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL LEII DEVOTED TO THIS PROJECT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF

THE MO. THIS RECOMMENDATION IS INDEPENDENT OF THE OTHER STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH I SHALL BE MAKING ONCE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED NEW OBJECTIVES, AGREED BY THE MINISTER OF TRADE AND WHITEHALL DEPARTMENTS. THE PACKAGE WILL, AS I SAID IN TELNO 182, BE CHEAPER THAN THE PROPOSALS OF MY PREDECESSOR. BUT WE CANNOT UNDERTAKE THE

CO-ORDINATION COMMITMENT WITHOUT EITHER IMMEDIATE REINFORCEMENT OR

DIVERTING TIME FROM URGENT COMMERCIAL WORK. THE LATTER WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THE DIRECTIVE I WAS GIVEN IN LONDON. ANOTHER

ALTERNATIVE MIGHT BE TO SEEK A SECONDEE FROM THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT BUT THIS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED THE WRONG WAY TO START

THIS CO-ORDINATION PROCESS.

ADMINISTRATION

11.

WE CAN AVOID CONTINUING THE CIRCULAR CORRESPONDENCE OF THE

PAST MONTH BY INSTITUTING THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WORKED WELL IN

TUNIS, E.G.

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

GROUP AT

VISITORS FROM LONDON INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT SHOULD

SIGNAL THE PURPOSE OF THEIR VISIT AS FAR IN ADVANCE

AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE:

THEY DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT AN AGREED MINUTE OF

DECISIONS TAKEN OR ACTION PROPOSED, SIGNED BY BOTH

SIDES:

ALL REPORTS TO BE FAXED TO THE OTHER SIDE: AND

TEXTS OF PAPERS FOR, AND RECORDS OF, THE CO-ORDINATION

EACH END TO BE FAXED TO THE OTHER.

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CONFIDENTIAL