Admin: 1 revision imported

2025-03-22T03:45:10Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 20:45, 21 March 2025
(No difference)

wikipedia>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies to :Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2023-01-22T22:00:19Z

Moving Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies to Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2020}}
{{short description|Hong Kong government official}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]
| name = Alistair Asprey
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|AE|size=100%}}
| office = [[Secretary for Security]]
| term_start = 26 February 1990
| term_end = 4 February 1995
| governor = [[David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn|David Wilson]]<br>[[Chris Patten]]
| predecessor = [[Geoffrey Thomas Barnes|Geoffrey Barnes]]
| successor = [[Peter Lai Hing-ling|Peter Lai]]
| office2 = Deputy Secretary for Security
| term_start2 = February 1989
| term_end2 = February 1990
| governor2 = [[David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn|David Wilson]]
| predecessor2 = [[Robert Upton]]
| successor2 = [[Ian Strachan (British politician)|Ian Strachan]]
| birthname = Alistair Peter Asprey
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|6|11}}
| birth_place = [[Colony of Jamaica|Jamaica]]
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| citizenship = British
| spouse =
| partner = 
| relations =
| children = 1 son and 1 daughter
| residence =
| education = [[Downside School]]
| alma_mater = [[Lincoln College, Oxford]]
| occupation = Civil servant
| signature =
| allegiance = [[British Hong Kong]]
| branch = [[Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force]]
| serviceyears = 1967–1993
| rank = [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]
| unit =
| commands = [[Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force]] (1983–87)
| battles =
| mawards = [[Air Efficiency Award]]
}}

[[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]] '''Alistair Peter Asprey''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|AE}} ({{zh|區士培}}, born 11 June 1944) is a former Hong Kong government official who served as [[Secretary for Security]] from 1990 to 1995.

==Early life==
Asprey was born and grew up in [[Jamaica]] where his father, Scottish professor of botany Geoffrey Asprey, worked at the [[University of the West Indies]]. He attended [[Downside School]] in Somerset, England, and subsequently read economics and politics at [[Lincoln College, Oxford]].<ref name="membersdatabase">{{cite web |title=Members Database |url=https://app.legco.gov.hk/member_front/english/library/member_detail.aspx?id=600 |publisher=The Legislative Council Library}}</ref><ref name="highflyer">{{cite news |last1=Sinclair |first1=Kevin |title=The high-flyer who reached for the sky |work=South China Morning Post |date=23 March 1991}}</ref>

==Government career==
In 1965, Asprey was recruited to the Hong Kong Government as an administrative officer attached to the then-Colonial Secretariat.<ref name="keypositions">{{cite news |last1=Ho |first1=Andy |title=Three key positions for expat civil servants |work=South China Morning Post |date=7 December 1988 |page=1}}</ref> Asprey was the Clerk of Councils and Assistant [[Chief Secretary (Hong Kong)|Colonial Secretary]] until January 1970.<ref name="temppuisne">{{cite news |title=Temporary Puisne Judge appointed |work=South China Morning Post |date=12 January 1970 |page=6}}</ref> He served as Administrative Assistant, New Territories Administration until June 1972, when he became the District Officer for [[Yuen Long District|Yuen Long]].<ref name="promotions">{{cite news |title=Promotions and changes in Govt departments |work=South China Morning Post |date=12 June 1972 |page=6}}</ref> He subsequently served as Senior Administration Officer of the [[Urban Services Department]], the executive arm of the [[Urban Council]]. In the early 1980s, he was Deputy Director of Housing (Operations) for the [[Hong Kong Housing Authority]], overseeing resettlement work under the sweeping housing policy of governor [[Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch|Murray MacLehose]].<ref name="officialdefends">{{cite news |title=Official defends housing policy |work=South China Morning Post |date=21 January 1981 |page=17}}</ref> He then served as private secretary to governor [[Edward Youde]].<ref name="presses">{{cite news |title=Sir Philip presses other issues |work=South China Morning Post |date=7 October 1983 |page=13}}</ref> In 1986, Asprey joined the Lands and Works Branch as Deputy Secretary for Lands and Works.<ref name="privateman">{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Kathy |title=Private man in security spotlight |work=South China Morning Post |date=4 March 1990 |page=13}}</ref>

In 1988, Asprey was sent to the [[Royal College of Defence Studies]] to complete a year-long course on defence studies.<ref name="keypositions"/><ref name="barnestobesucceeded"/><ref name="highflyer"/> In February 1989, he succeeded Robert Upton as Deputy Secretary for Security.<ref name="leadingboat">{{cite news |last1=MacMahon |first1=Fiona |title=Leading boat people officials stepping down |work=South China Morning Post |date=1 May 1989 |page=1}}</ref> At that time, the [[Security Bureau (Hong Kong)|Security Branch]] was facing a huge influx of [[Vietnamese people in Hong Kong|Vietnamese boat people]] to Hong Kong, with over 32,000 arriving in 1989 alone.<ref name="doubles">{{cite news |last1=Macklin |first1=Simon |last2=Mossop |first2=John |title=Monthly arrival of Viets doubles |work=South China Morning Post |date=1 September 1989 |page=2}}</ref> Secretary for Security [[Geoffrey Thomas Barnes|Geoffrey Barnes]] retired in February 1990, and Asprey succeeded him.<ref name="barnestobesucceeded">{{cite news |title=Barnes to be succeeded by his deputy |work=South China Morning Post |date=4 January 1990 |page=5}}</ref><ref name="repatriationcentre">{{cite news |last1=MacMahon |first1=Fiona |title=Repatriation centre 'like a holiday camp' |work=South China Morning Post |date=27 February 1990 |page=3}}</ref> As Secretary for Security, Asprey oversaw the detention of tens of thousands of Vietnamese, as well as their screening and repatriation. He faced unresolved issues in the run-up to the 1997 [[Handover of Hong Kong|Handover]], such as [[Right of abode in Hong Kong|right of abode]] arrangements and future treatment of fugitive offenders. He oversaw the 1992 transition of [[Frontier Closed Area|border defence]] from the British Army to the Hong Kong Police Force. Asprey retired on 4 February 1995 and was succeeded as Secretary for Security by [[Peter Lai Hing-ling|Peter Lai]].<ref name="unfinishedbusiness">{{cite news |title=Unfinished business |work=South China Morning Post |date=4 February 1995 |page=12}}</ref>

==Military career==
Asprey joined the [[Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force]] (RHKAAF) in 1967 as a volunteer cadet pilot, piloting helicopters.<ref name="privateman"/><ref name="specialcovers">{{cite news |title=Special covers to mark silver jubilee |work=South China Morning Post |date=25 February 1975 |page=8}}</ref> He was promoted to Wing Commander and Commanding Officer of the force in 1983.<ref name="birthdayhonours">{{cite news |title=The full Hongkong Birthday Honours list |work=South China Morning Post |date=11 June 1988 |page=4}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Royston Brooks]] in 1988.

Asprey was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in 1988 for his role in the development of the RHKAAF.<ref name="birthdayhonours"/> On 1 January 1994 he was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).<ref name="ordinary">{{cite news |title=New Year Honours List: 'Ordinary' people ride high but those at the top can bank on heading list |work=The Guardian |date=31 December 1993}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Asprey, Alistair}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Government officials of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:HK LegCo Members 1985–1988]]
[[Category:HK LegCo Members 1988–1991]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Downside School]]

Alistair Asprey - Revision history

Admin: 1 revision imported

wikipedia>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies to :Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy