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066554
MDHOAN 5399
CONSULTATIONS WITH THE HMOCS ASSOCIATION, HE COULD SAY:
(A) THE HMOCS OFFICERS HAD POINTED OUT THAT IN ALMOST ALL OTHER PREVIOUS DEPENDENT TERRITORIES THE SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED THAT HMOCS OFFICERS COULD RETIRE EARLY, AT THE TIME OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE OR AT ANY POINT THEREAFTER: THEY HAD ARGUED STRONGLY THAT THE SAME PROVISION SHOULD BE MADE IN HONG KONG. (SOME HAD ARGUED THAT THIS WOULD IN PRACTICE ENCOURAGE OFFICERS TO STAY IN THE HONG KONG PUBLIC SERVICE FOR LONGER THAN IF NO SUCH PROVISION WERE MADE.)
(B) WE HAVE REMINDED THE OFFICERS THAT HONG KONG'S PENSIONS LEGISLATION ALREADY PERMITS EARLY RETIREMENT IN CERTAIN CASES. WE DO NOT AT PRESENT ENVISAGE PROPOSING ANY AMENDMENT TO EXISTING PENSIONS LEGISLATION TO GIVE HMOCS OFFICERS A GENERAL RIGHT TO RETIRE AT THE TIME OF THEIR CHOOSING: THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD OF COURSE WISH TO CONSULT THE CHINESE SIDE BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH
ANY SUCH PROPOSAL.
(C) INSTEAD WE LOOK FORWARD IN DUE COURSE TO A BROADER DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ABOUT A NUMBER OF CIVIL SERVICE ISSUES, INCLUDING SOME POINTS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO HMOCS OFFICERS: EG THE FUTURE ROLE OF EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS, WHETHER IN SUBSTANTIVE POST OR AS ADVISERS (JD 75): THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF HKG'S PRESENT LOCALISATION ARRANGEMENTS: AND THE QUESTION OF IDENTIFYING LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE APPOINTMENT AS PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS OF THE SARG.
(D) MEANWHILE WE SHALL BE TELLING THE HMOCS OFFICERS THAT, IN OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE ISSUES GENERALLY, WE SHALL USE OUR BEST ENDEAVOURS TO ENSURE THAT ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE WHICH WILL COMMAND THE
CONFIDENCE OF MEMEBERS OF HMOCS.
7. THIS MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT GIVE RISE TO DETAILED CHINESE QUESTIONING ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF EARLY RETIREMENT UNDER EXISTING PENSIONS LEGISLATION AND WHETHER IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF PENSION IS INVOLVED, BUT IF IT DID NOT, OR IF WE COULD DEAL SATISFACTORILY WITH ANY CHINESE QUESTIONS, THE WAY MIGHT THEN BE OPEN FOR US TO TELL HMOCS OFFICERS THAT:
(A) HONG KONG'S EXISTING PENSIONS LEGISLATION PERMITS EARLY RETIREMENT WITHOUT LOSS OF PENSIONS ENTITLEMENT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES:
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