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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1977
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GREATLY IMPROVED CAREER PROSPECTS TO A NEW RANK OF SENIOR SURVEY OFFICER, WITH AN INCREASE IN PAY AT THE MAXIMUM OF $635 A MONTH (14.8%) HIGHER THAN THE PRESENT SENIOR RANK,
AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF POSTS OF THE NEW SENIOR SURVEY OFFICER RANK FROM 80 TO 103, AND
THE CREATION OF 10 POSTS IN A NEW HIGHER RANK OF PRINCIPAL SURVEY OFFICER WITH A SALARY MAXIMUM OF $6,935 PER MONTH (COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MAXIMUM AT THE TOP OF THE GRADE OF $4,295).
MR. BRIDGE SAID THAT AGLESO IS ASKING FOR A FURTHER $880 (27.3%) INCREASE PER MONTH FOR THOSE ON THE MAXIMUM OF THE NEW SURVEY OFFICER RANK SCALE IN ADDITION TO THE APPROVED 10.4% INCREASE, WHICH IS ITSELF ADDITIONAL TO THE GENERAL CIVIL SERVICE INCREASE OF 7.5%. AT THE TOP OF THE SENIOR SURVEY OFFICER SCALE AGLESO IS ASKING FOR A FURTHER $500 (10.1%) ON TOP OF THE 14.8% AND 7.5% ALREADY APPROVED.
MR. BRIDGE SAID THAT THE INCREASES SOUGHT BY AGLESO WOULD PUT THE MAXIMUM PAY FOR THE SURVEY OFFICER WELL ABOVE THAT OF THE ASSISTANT INSPECTOR/ASSISTANT CLERKS OF WORKS AND BRING THE MAXIMUM OF THE SENIOR SURVEY OFFICER UP TO THAT OF THE INSPECTOR AND CLERKS OF WORKS.
AGLESO'S REQUESTED SALARIES WERE FAR HIGHER THAN COULD BE JUSTIFIED BY ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY THE INDEPENDENT PAY INVESTIGATION UNIT'S RECENTLY CONCLUDED SURVEY OF PAY RATES FOR COMPARABLE WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO BEAR IN MIND ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC NOT TO ALLOW LENGTHY DELAY IN IMPORTANT PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME, AND IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APPROVED NEW STRUCTURE AND PAY SCALES IN RESPECT OF THOSE LAND AND ENGINEERING SURVEY OFFICERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY REFUSING TO PERFORM OUTDOOR SURVEY DUTIES WILL, THEREFORE BE CONDITIONAL UPON THEIR RETURN TO NORMAL DUTIES.
HOWEVER ALL THE POINTS AT ISSUE WOULD BE REVIEWED BY THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND THE NEW STRUCTURE WILL BE REVIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF THE COMMITTEE'S ADVICE.
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