Extract from Speech by the Hon. Lydia DUNN, OBE,, JP
in LegCo on 30.3.1978
Furthermore, I understand that some 550 expatriate
officers were recruited in 1977 representing some 25% of the total establishment of expatriate officers. Leaving aside
the fact that expatriates are employed on more expensive
terms than local officers, is this not inconsistent with the
Government's stated policy of localization?
Long Long is
too sophisticated a place for it to be wise or necessary to
2xe.
pursue a policy of localization for its own sake. 1, for one,
would not support such a policy. Ana, certainly, l'understand
the need to look overseas from time to time for certain skills
in short supply locally and for a number of administrative
officers and police officers. I also realise the inherent
difficulties in attracting local cogle in certain professions
into the public service. But I have a distinct feeling that
some expatriates have to be recruited simply because staff
requirements are not foreseen in advance. And so I would
like to ask the Chief Secretary, as head of the civil service,
whether he is satisfied that suitable local recruits are sought
after aggressively on the basis of rational, forward planning.
I would also like to ask the Chief Secretary whether, in his
view, the career planning of serving local officers maximises
the use of their talents. In a magazine interview the other
day,
the Financial secretary seemed to doubt whether this was
so, though he could have been misquoted, of course!