FAX TRANSMISSION
Our Reference:
21 September 1993
Michael Cohen Esq
XAAA2, DTI
CC: Peter Ricketts, HKD,
FCO
Page 1 of 2
CONFIDENTIAL
British
Trade Commission
Hong Kong
3th Floor, Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong
Mail Address: GPO Box No 528, Hong Kong
Telephone: $23 0176
Telex: HX 73031 (a/b 73031 UETRA HX) Facsimile: (852) 845 2870
Cable Address: UK TRADE, Hong Kong
Dear Michael.
BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL BUILDING
1.
Jean Gray has sent us a copy of the attached letter from John Fletcher, Trafalgar House, to the Minister for Trade.
2. We had heard that this was in the pipelines. Both Henry Keswick and Charles Powell have mentioned to me that Jardines would very much like Gammon to win the site formation contract, with an eye - as Fletcher makes clear - to the more prestigious and more lucrative construction contract. Henry Keswick made out, in a somewhat irritating way, that their interest is more "for the good of the relationship with HMG" than commercial. But we do not need to concern ourselves with their motives.
3. As I understand it, Gammon's bid is respectable but is not the best. It seems to me that we have every interest in these contracts being won by British companies but, at the same time, we must obviously behave impeccably with the British taxpayers' money. I conclude therefore that we should find ways to induce Gammon to adjust their bid, perhaps by adding more to the package, and I do not see that we need reveal all the details of rival bids in order to achieve this.
4. If there are other British companies in serious contention we would need to know where they stand before offering further advice.
Encl
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Francis Cornish
CONFIDENTIAL
Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions ur misleading statements in that information caused by negligence or otherwise and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies of
inlividuals mentioned,
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