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THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IS THUS REPRESENTATIVE AND CLOSELY KNIT: IT
IS SUPPLEMENTED BY A NETWORK OF OVER 400 ADVISORY BODIES: IT HAS
EVOLVED AS A RESULT OF A CONTINUING CONSULTATIVE PROCESS BETWEEN
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.
25.
LOOKING AHEAD TO DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS THE
PUBLIC WILL BE CONSULTED ON RECOMMENDATIONS STEMMING FROM A
REVIEW CARRIED OUT IN 1985 OF SYSTEMS PROVIDING FOR REDRESS OF
GRIEVANCES. ONE POSSIBILITY WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE PUBLICLY
EXAMINED IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INSTITUTION TO ENQUIRE, ON AN INDEPENDENT BASIS, INTO COMPLAINTS ALLEGING MALADMINISTRATION BY
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
CIVIL SERVICE
(E) 26. WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE THE PROPORTION OF LOCAL OFFICERS
HOLDING DIRECTORATE POSTS REACHED 50 PER CENT WITH AN INCREASING
NUMBER OF LOCAL OFFICERS TAKING UP SENIOR POSITIONS. THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT BY CONTINUING WITH THEIR
LOCALISATION POLICY THEY WERE CONFIDENT THAT SUFFICIENT LOCAL
PEOPLE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FILL TOP POSTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
BEFORE 1997. AS REGARDS THE POLICE FORCE, THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THAT LOCALISATION OF THE SENIOR RANKS HAD TO
BE AT A FASTER PACE THAN HITHERTO ACHIEVED: A STEERING GROUP OF
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WAS CHARGED WITH RECOMMENDING TO THE
GOVERNOR HOW THIS OBJECTIVE WAS BEST TO BE ATTAINED WITHOUT
JEOPARDISING EITHER THE FORCE'S EFFICIENCY OR ITS MORALE.
INITIAL CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING
A LIMITED COMPENSATION SCHEME ON LINES SIMILAR TO SCHEMES
INTRODUCED INTO FORMER BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AT THE TIME
OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE, WHICH AMONG OTHER THINGS, WOULD ENABLE PENSIONABLE OVERSEAS OFFICERS WHO WERE EITHER REQUIRED TO RETIRE, OR SUPERSEDED FOR PROMOTION TO MAKE WAY FOR LOCAL OFFICERS, TO BE
COMPENSATED FOR LOSS OF CAREER.
IV. STATE OF THE ECONOMY
27.
THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG
KONG REMOVED MUCH OF THE SHADOW OF UNCERTAINTY WHICH HAD HUNG
OVER THE HONG KONG ECONOMY IN 1983 AND MOST OF 1984. BUT THE
ECONOMY REMAINED DEPENDENT ON TRADE AND HENCE VULNERABLE TO
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