TNAG-2664-FCO40-3860-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 33

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDLIAN 8414

COSTS

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)

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

GROUP AT EACH END TO BE FAXED TO THE OTHER.

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