THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1984
+ IT IS NO SURPRISE TO ME, THEREFORE, THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS SHOULD HAVE FOUND A UNIQUE WAY OF ENSURING HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SOCIAL STABILITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, SIR PHILIP STATED.
REFERRING TO QUESTIONS RAISED ON THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT BY THE HON WONG LAM, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG AND THE HON SELINA CHOW, HE SAID.
+I WOULD SAY ONLY THAT THE AGREEMENT LAYS DOWN THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THAT STRUCTURE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AS THE YEARS PROGRESS.
+ I ENTIRELY AGREE WITH MISS (LYDIA) DUNN'S AND MR ALLEN LEE'S VIEW THAT WE WILL NEED TO ERECT A SUITABLE (1.E. A CREDIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE) STRUCTURE TO REPLACE THE PRESENT STRUCTURE WELL BEFORE 1997.
+THAT NEW STRUCTURE MUST BE AT LEAST AS OPERATIONALLY EFFICIENT AS THE PRESENT STRUCTURE AND THE AIM SHOULD BE TO PROVIDE A SMOOTH TRANSITION THROUGH HONG KONG'S CHANGE OF STATUS IN 1997,+ SIR PHILIP SAID.
ON PUBLIC SERVICE, THE DRAFT AGREEMENT PROVIDED IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL FOR CONTINUITY IN THIS VITAL AREA+.
SIR PHILIP POINTED OUT THAT IT CONTAINED THE PROVISION THAT +HONG KONG'S PREVIOUS SYSTEM OF RECRUITMENT, EMPLOYMENT, ASSESSMENT, DISCIPLINE, TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE (INCLUDING SPECIAL BODIES FOR APPOINTMENT, PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE)
SHALL
+
BE MAINTAINED.+
IT ALSO CONTAINED THE PROVISION THAT THE APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS SHALL BE ON THE BASIS OF QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY+.
ON THE HON PETER WONG'S REFERENCE TO THE CAREER PROSPECTS OF SOME EXPATRIATE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, SIR PHILIP ASSURED THESE MEMBERS THAT THE IR SPECIAL CONCERNS WERE UNDERSTOOD AND WOULD BE RECOGNISED.
PARTICULARLY IN THE
ON THE VOLUNTARY AND SUBVENTED SECTORS FIELDS OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE, HE SAID, WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THESE AGENCIES, AND THOSE WHO WORK IN THEM, ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, I THINK MEMBERS WILL RECOGNISE THAT THE AGREEMENT COULD NOT DEAL IN DETAIL WITH EVERY ASPECT OF OUR COMPLEX SOCIETY,
+BUT PROVISION IS MADE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF PREVAILING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS AND ALSO, AS STATED IN SECTION
J
V OF ANNEX 1, FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION TO 'DEAL ON ITS OWN WITH FINANCIAL MATTERS. INCLUDING DISPOSING OF ITS FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND DRAWING UP ITS BUDGETS AND FINAL ACCOUNTS'. HE POINTED OUT.
/SOME UNOFFICIAL