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CONFIDENTIAL
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MDHIAN 1330
(IV) ACCESS OF BUSINESS VISITORS IS SLOW AND EXPENSIVE ON STAFF TIME. IN TIMES OF BUILD-UP OF VISA APPLICANTS IT COULD BE INORDINATELY DIFFICULT. IN CRISIS IT COULD BE
IMPOSSIBLE. Design to improve to confirm with brief.
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(V) MANAGEMENT. NO SUGGESTION OF A SHARED MANAGEMENT SECTION WAS EVER MADE, BUT THE TWO STAFFS MUST WORK TOGETHER. (NOTE: I AM SURPRISED TO FIND HOW LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE COOPERATIVELY HITHERTO BETWEEN BC AND BTC WE ARE NOW REMEDYING THAT SHORTCOMING). THERE WILL BE A HOST OF SHARED CONCERNS OVER MAINTENANCE, SECURITY, LIAISON WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES, CONTROL OF ACCESS ETC, IN ADDITION TO SHARED OPERATIONAL TASKS. THE TWO MANAGEMENT SECTIONS MUST WORK TOGETHER. AS I EXPLAINED TO MR HUM, A MANAGEMENT SECTION TODAY HAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ROLE FROM THAT TO WHICH IT WAS TRADITIONALLY RELEGATED IN YEARS GONE BY. MY PROPOSALS FOR STAFFING, TRAINING ETC ARE ALL BASED ON THAT CENTRAL
PRINCIPLE.
Of liante but not appropriate to combine (BC don't want thing).
(VI) COST BREAKS DOWN INTO CAPITAL AND RECURRENT. ON CAPITAL, MR WHITTLE QUOTED FOSTER AND THE HONG KONG BAND AS THE MODE. I FIND THAT ODD. BUT IN TERMS OF DAY TO DAY MANAGEMENT, THE BUILDING IS UNNECESSARILY DEMANDING OF STAFF
CERTAINLY, THE COMMERCIAL SECTION WILL WORK LESS
EFFICIENTLY.
(VII) THE GROUP IS NEW TO HONG KONG. THAT IN ITSELF IS NOT A BARRIER BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE PUT IN THE SPADEWORK THAT I WOULD EXPECT FROM ANY OF THE MANY CONSULTANTS WITH WHOM WE WORK. (I SHALL BE DELIGHTED IF YOU PROVE ME WRONG). MORE SERIOUSLY, THEY SEEM INSENSITIVE TO WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE A CONSULATE-GENERAL. THEIR DESIGNS ARE STRONG ON DRAWINGS AND RHETORIC BUT ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW. THE BOLD STATEMENT ON THEIR PRINCIPAL DESIGN SHEET THAT THE GARDEN IS THE QUOTE HEART OF THE LIFE OF THE CONSULATE-GENERAL UNQUOTE IS DISTURBING.
5. THE MULTI-PURPOSE HALL. THE COUNCIL HERE MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO TAKE ON THE HALL SINCE IT WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE FCO. BUT THEY HAVE YET TO SEE AN OPERATING BUDGET AND WOULD NOT HAVE PROPOSED IT HAD IT NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO THEM AS A GIFT. WOULD BE CONTENT TO SEE IT DROPPED. WERE I THE C-G I WOULD ASSERT THAT IT HAD NO VALUE TO THE CONSULATE-GENERAL AND WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNCIL. THERE IS A HOST OF SUITABLE VENUES, MANY WITHIN
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