Mr Cox
Mr Ricketts
Reference
HKB CELI
file
HKB.016/1
re they incre to do
Zeir jobs Now!
VISIT TO HONG KONG: CIVIL SERVICE MORALE
Mr Shiu said that morale overall was acceptable but not
He thought that areas to watch were:
1. great.
-
Migration.
People who put in their papers post June
1989 would probably start to get them in 92/93. This could lead to an upsurge in emigration.
This was
Civil servants were concerned about the extent of privatisation/corporatisation/contracting out. creating a sense of uncertainty.
-
The public were making greater and greater demands on the civil service and were also more aware of their rights.
2.
There were no great industrial disputes as such at present but non industrial action was still taking place.
3. As regards the Police, the staff were disatisfied with the support they were getting from the senior leadership of the Police.
4.
Security of pensions was the big issue for local civil servants. There is likely to be very little the government can do to provide extra security but they are looking at the possibility of hypothicated loans from banks on the basis of pensions to be received.
5. The perceived status of civil servants within the community appears to have gone down. This could have important consequences for recruitment and also for morale. There were shortages in various areas of the civil service but the only serious one at present was with nurses.
ms.
M V Stone
26 November 1991
cc: Ms Williams
ALKABH
CODE 18-77
38