+
22
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1977
LOCAL STAFF TRAINED FOR SENIOR POSTS IN DESALTER
******
STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO TRAIN THOSE LOCAL OFFICERS WITH POTENTIAL TO FILL THE MORE SENIOR POSTS IN THE LOK ON PA! DESALTER ON THE COMPLETION OF THE CONTRACTS OF EXPATRIATE STAFF, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL, SAID TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. LI FOOK-WO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR. LI HAD ASKED WHEN WOULD THE GOVERNMENT BE ABLE TO RECRUIT SUFFICIENT LOCAL ENGINEERS TO OPERATE THE LOK ON PAI DESALTER FULLY WITHOUT FURTHER RECOURSE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF OVERSEAS CONTRACT STAFF.
MR. BELL SAID THAT THE APPROVED ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DESALTER INCLUDED 26 POSTS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS WITH GOOD WORKING EXPERIENCE, PREFERABLY IN DESALTING PLANT OR ALTERNATIVELY IN STEAM POWER PLANT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
HE SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE SPECIALIST NATURE OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT UNEXPECTEDLY, THE FIRST LOCAL RESPONSE WAS VERY LIMITED.
+CONSEQUENTLY IN ORDER TO MEET THE MINIMUM STAFF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMMISSIONING AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATION OF THE PLANT, OVERSEAS RECRUITMENT WAS INITIATED, + MR. BELL SAID.
+AS A RESULT, 10 EXPATRIATE ENGINEERS WERE APPOINTED IN 1973/74. THIS NUMBER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INCREASED TO 15 IN 1975/76, AND WITH WASTAGE, THE NUMBER NOW STANDS AT 13. THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS SOME FOUR PER CENT OF THE TOTAL APPROVED ESTABLISHMENT OF 325.+
OF THE REMAINING 13 POSTS, MR. BELL SAID, 10 HAD NOW BEEN FILLED BY LOCAL OFFICERS, AND THERE WERE THREE VACANCIES AT A SENIOR LEVEL.
THESE VACANCIES WERE CURRENTLY BEING ADVERTISED LOCALLY BUT IN CASE NO SUITABLE LOCAL CANDIDATES WERE AVAILABLE, AND BECAUSE OF THE PRESSING NEED TO FILL THE POSTS, AN OVERSEAS INDENT HAD ALSO BEEN PLACED.
+
+WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE PROGRESSION OF LOCAL OFFICERS, STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO TRAIN THOSE WITH POTENTIAL TO FILL THE MORE SENIOR POSTS ON THE COMPLETION OF THE CONTRACTS OF EXPATRIATE STAFF,+ HE SAID.
MR. BELL POINTED OUT THAT THE CONTRACTS OF 10 EXPATRIATES WOULD EXPIRE BETWEEN 1978 AND 1981 AND IT WAS HOPED THAT MOST,
IF NOT ALL, OF THESE POSTS COULD BE FILLED PROGRESSIVELY BY PROMOTION OF LOCAL OFFICERS BY 1981.
THE REMAINING THREE EXPATRIATE OFFICERS ARE ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS.
123.