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Reference.
USE UNUSED OUT DOS CON AAN DEN FUNGUS AEn van con
2.
for the rigid stratification of the Civil Service and I would like to have seen the Commission making firm proposals for improving promotion prospects of those officers who entered the service with low educational qualifications but are worthy of advancement on the basis of practical experience and proven merit. Lack of educational qualifications can act as an effective promotion bar. For example, I was surprised in Hong Kong by the rigid compartmentalisation of the Labour Officer cadres into Labour Inspectors, Assistant Labour Officers, and Labour Officers. So far as I could see, there was no prospect of any upward movement between the three divisions simply on the yardstick of initial educational qualifications. Some degree of flexibility would permit individual merit to be rewarded and improve morale and attitudes in the lower echelons. The proposals made in paragraph 48 of the Commission's report might not solve this particular problem in respect of the three Labour Department cadres I have mentioned. It would be interesting to know the degree of flexibility over educational qualifications which exists in the private sector in Hong Kong.
4. I am returning one copy of the Commission's report.
P.R.S. Furt
22 August 1979
HRG Hurst
Overseas Labour Adviser