14
33.
I have referred earlier to the part that career development can play in preparing local officers for
advancement to more senior posts. We must also try to
arrange our staff structures, job requirements and entry
qualifications so that more posts can be filled from within
Hong Kong. I suspect that we also need to be bolder
in making full use of available talent, as well as more
flexible in slotting the right officer into the right post,
perhaps by extending the number of cross-postings from one
department to another.
·34.
To conclude, may I echo Miss Dunn's remark that
Hong Kong is too sophisticated a place for it to be wise
or necessary to pursue a policy of localisation for its own
sake. Indeed, if we were ever to fall into that trap, the
civil service could lose some of its most dedicated and
talented officers. Hong Kong as a whole would then be the
loser.
--35.
Sir, I support the motion.