BRIEFING FROM THE PENSIONABLE SERVICE COMMITTEE
OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS OF HONG KONG
1. INTRODUCTION
January 1991
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The Association of Expatriate Civil Servants (AECS) which was formed in 1945 represents all non-Police expatriate civil servants, on both "Agreement" and "Permanent and Pensionable" terms, some 70% of whom are currently paid up members. Total membership is in the order of 1200, of whom some 78% are Agreement and 22% Pensionable officers.
Hong Kong is in a unique position and the year 1997 represents the first occasion when the sovereignty of а British Dependent Territory is to be transferred to another sovereign power. The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Future of Hong Kong requires that officers holding very senior positions in the S.A.R. Government shall be Chinese nationals (Annex I part IV), although expatriate officers may continue to be employed in lower positions or as advisers.
The U.K. and Hong Kong Governments wish to ensure the maintenance of effective administration during and beyond the transition period. To do this it will be necessary for local officers to be placed in senior positions well before 1997. Overseas pensionable officers thus face considerable problems and many will find their career prospects reduced because of localisation. Their numbers will shrink significantly and any erosion of their conditions of service or of their pension expectations will have an adverse effect on the morale of those remaining.