THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1980
CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE PROMOTE 45 JUNIOR OFFICERS
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THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS EVER TO BE MADE AT ONCE WITHIN THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE TOOK PLACE TODAY (THURSDAY) WHEN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MR WALTER NEIL, PRESENTED PROMOTION LETTERS TO 45 CUSTOMS OFFICERS BEING PROMOTED TO SENIOR CUSTOMS OFFICERS.
EXPRESSING HIS CONGRATULATIONS, MR NEIL TOLD THEM HE WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE SO MANY JUNIOR OFF ICERS AT THE SAME TIME.
+THIS IS A FURTHER STEP IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE IMPROVED CAREER PROSPECTS FOR OUR CUSTOMS OFFICER GRADE, IN KEEPING WITH THE UNDERTAKING GIVEN BY OUR COMMISSIONER, MR DOUGLAS JORDAN,+ MR NEIL SAID.
MR NEIL SAID MOST OF THE PROMOTION POSTS WERE CREATED FOLLOWING AN IN-SERVICE REVIEW OF CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AT KAI TAK AIRPORT.
DURING AN EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD, A NUMBER OF SUPERNUMERARY SENIOR CUSTOMS OFFICERS WERE EMPLOYED ON BAGGAGE EXAMINATION DUTIES IN PLACE OF INSPECTORS.
NEIL.
+THE EXPERIMENT PROVED AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS, + SAID MR
*NOT ONLY DID WE FIND OUR JUNIOR OFFICERS TO BE EQUAL TO THE TASK BUT, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AND ENTHUSIASM, THE SYSTEM PROVEĎ EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THAT WHICH WE WERE OPERATING PREVIOUSLY.
+WE ARE ALSO NOW ABLE TO USE THE INSPECTORS IN A MORE MEANINGFUL SUPERVISORY ROLE, HE ADDED.
MR NEIL TOLD THE OFFICERS HE HOPED MANY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROGRESS EVEN FURTHER, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE COMMISSIONER'S PROPOSALS FOR AN UP-TO-DATE REORGANISED SERVICE, MANNED AND EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH MODERN-DAY PROBLEMS AND COMMITMENTS.
*WE ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPANDING THE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIEF CUSTOMS OFFICER RANK+ HE SAID, AND I HAVE HIGH HOPES OF OUR BEING ABLE TO CREATE MORE POSTS AT THIS LEVEL, AND TO FURTHER INCREASE THE PROMOTION PROSPECTS OF THE CUSTOMS OFFICER GRADE.
+PLANS ARE ALSO IN HAND TO REVISE THE ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS FOR IN-SERVICE APPOINTMENT TO THE INSPECTORATE TO PROVIDE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUNIOR OFFICERS TO REACH HIGHER RANKS OF THE SERVICE, MR NEIL CONCLUDED.