WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1980
6
RETIRING AGE TO REMAIN AT 55
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON MARTIN
ROWLANDS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WOULD BEST BE SERVED BY KEEPING 55 AS THE NORMAL RETIRING AGE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROWLANDS POINTED OUT THAT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS WERE REVISED IN 1975 TO PERMIT, MORE FREELY THAN IN THE PAST, EXTENSIONS OF SERVICE BEYOND THE AGE OF 55 TO OFFICERS +WHO ARE EFFICIENT AND ARE NEEDED.
HE SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW RULES HAS GROWN STEADILY AND ABOUT HALF OF ALL THOSE REACHING 55 ARE CURRENTLY BEING GRANTED EXTENSIONS OF SERVICE, IN MANY CASES UNTIL ABOUT 60.
MR ROWLANDS EXPLAINED THAT THE QUESTION OF INCREASING THE RETIREMENT AGE OF CIVIL SERVANTS FROM 55 TO 60 HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AT GREAT LENGTH AFTER BEING RAISED IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN 1965.
HE SAID THAT IN 1974 A PACKAGE WAS PROPOSED BY THE STAFF SIDE OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL WHEREBY THE NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE WOULD BE EXTENDED FROM 55 TO 60, BUT THAT OFFICERS WISHING TO RETIRE PREMATURELY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO SO FREELY FROM THE AGE OF 45 ONWARDS, INSTEAD OF FROM 50.
HOWEVER, THE PACKAGE WAS NOT ACCEPTED TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR TWO MAIN REASONS.
+FIRST, HE EXPLAINED, +IT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE LED TO AN UNACCEPTABLE LOSS OF EXPERIENCED OFFICERS THROUGH PREMATURE RETIREMENT. SECOND, IT WOULD HAVE LED TO THE RETENTION IN THE SERVICE OF OLDER OFFICERS WHO WERE NO LONGER PULLING THEIR WEIGHT.+
MR ROWLANDS SAID DISCUSSIONS ON POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE WITH THE STAFF SIDE OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL.
EVIDENCE POINTS TO DECLINE IN STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO TOURISTS
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THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE OF A DECLINE IN THE STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO TOURISTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TREATMENT GIVEN TO VISITORS FROM THIS REGION WHO MAKE UP SOME 65 PER CENT OF TOTAL ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG, THE HON DAVID NEWBIGGING TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE HAD MENTIONED LAST YEAR THE NECESSITY TO MONITOR VERY CAREFULLY THE REACTIONS OF VISITORS TO THE PRODUCT OFFERED IN HONG KONG AND, PARTICULARLY, TO THE PRICES IN SHOPS WHICH STILL FORMED THE BACKBONE OF THE INDUSTRY, MEASURED BY THE PERCENTAGE OF VISITORS' EXPENDITURE.
/+I CECULD