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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1978
PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL
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A BILL SEEKING TO EXTEND THE GOVERNOR'S POWER UNDER THE PENSIONS ORDINANCE IN GRANTING, AT HIS DISCRETION, RETIREMENT BENEFITS TO CIVIL SERVANTS WHO ARE RETIRED COMPULSORILY OR REMOVED FROM OFF ICE, WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1978, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON. MARTIN ROWLANDS SAID UNDER THE EXISTING SECTION 7 OF THE PENSIONS ORDINANCE, DISCRETIONARY GRANT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS IS PROVIDED ONLY WHEN AN OFFICER IS RETIRED IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST OTHERWISE THAN AS A PUNISHMENT.
HOWEVER, WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1 LAST YEAR, COLONIAL REGULATIONS WERE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR THE AWARD OF COMPULSORY RETIREMENT AS A PUNISHMENT, EITHER WITH, OR WITHOUT, OR WITH REDUCED PENSION BENEFITS.
+THIS NEW FORM OF PUNISHMENT IS NEEDED IN CASES WHEN DISMISSAL WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS WOULD BE TOO SEVERE OR WHEN RETIREMENT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, OTHERWISE THAN AS A PUNISHMENT, WOULD BE TOO GENEROUS,+ MR. ROWLANDS SAID.
AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE AMENDEMENT OF COLONIAL REGULATIONS, HE EXPLAINED, THERE IS A NEED TO INCLUDE SUCH A PROVISION IN THE PENSIONS ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNMENT WITH MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN DEALING WITH SUCH CASES.
THE DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.