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CONFIDENTIAL
117442
MDLIAN 5493
SECURITY OF PENSIONS
8. LIKE THE REST OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE POLICE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THEIR PENSIONS. THEY CONSIDER THE EXISTING SAFEGUARDS UNDER THE PENSIONS LEGISLATION, THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW TO BE INADEQUATE. THEY ARE SEEKING SEPARATE FUNDING OF PENSIONS AND THE EARLY PAYMENT OF ALL ACCRUED PENSION BENEFITS BEFORE 1997. WHILE WE HAVE RULE OUT FULL FUNDING OF PENSIONS BECAUSE OF COSTS, OTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM STAFF FOR IMPROVED PENSIONS SAFEGUARDS ARE BEING EXAMINED. BUT IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THESE OPTIONS CAN BE PURSUED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BESIDES THE GENERAL CONCERNS ABOUT PENSIONS, OVERSEAS OFFICERS ARE SEEKING GUARANTEED STERLING EXCHANGE RATES FOR THEIR PENSIONS.
9. THERE IS LITTLE THAT CAN BE SAID OTHER THAN TO REPEAT THAT PENSIONS ARE NOW A RIGHT AND A STATUTORY CHARGE ON THE GENERAL REVENUE OF THE HKG. MOREOVER, BOTH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW CONTAIN VERY CLEAR ASSURANCES ABOUT THE CONTINUED PAYMENT OF PENSIONS AFTER 1997. THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THESE UNDERTAKINGS WILL NOT BE HONOURED BY THE FUTURE SARG. AS REGARDS STERLING SAFEGUARDS FOR PENSIONS WE WOULD OF COURSE HAVE NO OBJECTION IF YOU WERE TO AGREE TO EXAMINE THE POSITION AS REGARDS MEMBERS OF HMOCS.
HMOCS OFFICERS
10. STAFF ARE PRESSING FOR AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT ON ISSUES OF CONCERN TO HMOCS OFFICERS, INCLUDING THE TERMS OF A GENERAL COMPENSATION SCHEME. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS BALL WHICH IS IN YOUR COURT. THE ITEM HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA OF THE POLICE FORCE COUNCIL FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT STAFF ARE BEGINNING TO LOSE PATIENCE. FURTHER DELAY WILL HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE MORALE AND ULTIMATELY THE RETENTION OF EXPATRIATE PERSONNEL.
GENERAL
11. WE BELIEVE THERE IS NO MAJOR PROBLEM WITH POLICE MORALE AT PRESENT. ALL OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE POINT TOWARDS A WELL MOTIVATED AND EFFICIENT ORGANISATION. NEVERTHELESS THERE IS A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD, THOUGH RATHER IRRATIONAL FEELING AMONGST ALL RANKS THAT PERCEIVED DIFFICULTIES FACING THE FORCE ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED, AND THAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FORCE ARE NOT FULLY RECOGNISED, PARTICULARLY WHEN COMPARED WITH THOSE OF THE OTHER DISCIPLINED SERVICES. IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DIFFICULTIES, PRIMARILY AT THE RANK AND
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