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FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1978
GOVERNMENT OFFICERS SUMMONSED
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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT 20 POLICE OFFICERS, FOUR FORMER POLICE OFFICERS AND TWO INSPECTORS OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE WERE THIS MORNING SERVED WITH SUMMONSES TO APPEAR IN COURT ON CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY. A FURTHER 38 POLICE OFFICERS AND ONE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE INSPECTOR WHO WERE NOT COVERED BY THE AMNESTY, HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT NO ACTION IS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM.
118 OTHER POLICE OFFICERS, AND ONE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE INSPECTOR, RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE SECRETARY FOR CIVIL SERVICE INFORMING THEM THAT THEIR SERVICES WOULD BE TERMINATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH COLONIAL REGULATION 55.
THE OFFICERS RETIRED UNDER CR55 WILL BE PLACED IMMEDIATELY ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE AND WILL CEASE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE WHEN THEIR LEAVE ENTITLEMENT IS EXHAUSTED. THEY WILL BE GRANTED SUCH PENSIONS OR GRATUITIES AS HAVE BEEN EARNED BY THEIR SERVICE.
CR55 STATES THAT +AN OFFICER HOLDS OFFICE SUBJECT TO THE PLEASURE OF THE CROWN, AND THE PLEASURE OF THE CROWN THAT HE SHOULD NO LONGER HOLD IT MAY BE SIGNIFIED THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN WHICH CASE NO SPECIAL FORMALITIES ARE REQUIRED+.
CR55 HAS BEEN USED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PAST. AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF EACH CASE, BOTH IN THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO USE CR55 IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THESE PENDING CASES WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT CR55 HAS BEEN USED SPARINGLY IN THE PAST AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO USED IN THE FUTURE.
HE ALSO STATED THAT AN OFFICER WHOSE SERVICES ARE BEING TERMINATED, WILL BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN IN ANY GOVERNMENT QUARTERS WHICH HE NOW OCCUPIES FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, SUBJECT TO THE PAYMENT OF RENT.
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