17
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985
EXTENSION OF SERVICE
MR CHAN YING-LUN QUESTIONED THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON EXTENSIONS OF SERVICE BEYOND THE STATUTORY RETIREMENT AGE OF 55.
THE PRESENT POLICY WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 1981, ALTHOUGH EXTENSIONS WERE NOT UNCOMMON BEFORE THEN, IN ESSEN CÉ
IN ESSENCE, THE POLICY PERMITS OFFICERS WHO ARE FIT AND EFFICIENT, AND SUBJECT TO THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE, TO SERVE ON BEYOND THE AGE OF 55 TO 57 OR 59 OR 60, BY SITHER EXTENDING THEIR SERVICE ON PENSIONABLE TERMS, OR RETIRING FROM PENSIONABLE SERVICE AND BEING RE-EMPLOYED ON CONTRACT TERMS. WHILST SO RE-EMPLOYED THEY MAY EITHER DRAW THE NORMAL CONTRACT GRATUITY OF 25 PER CENT OF SALARY, THEIR EARNED PENSION RIGHTS 31N FROZEN, OR THEY MAY DRAW THEIR PENSIONS. THIS POLICY IS BEIN DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE RETENTION OF EXPERIENCED AND EFFICIENT OFFICERS, PERMISSION TO EXTEND AN OFFICER'S SERVICE IS NOT GRANTED AUTOMATICALLY; EACH CASE IS CONSIDERED ON ITS OWN MERITS BY THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT CONCERNED AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE CAREER PROSPECTS OF OFFICERS JUNIOR TO THEM. THE ADVICE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS ALSO SOUGHT IN RESPECT OF EXTENSIONS FOR OFFICERS IN MIDDLE AND SENIOR RANKS. WHILE DECISIONS ON EXTENSIONS OF SERVICE TAKE ACCOUNT OF CAREE? PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME INVOLVED IN ANY INDIVIDUAL CASE, WHETHER AN OFFICER CAN OR CANNOT BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY BY ANOTHER OFFICER IN A LOWER RANK IS NOT A PRECONDITION.
THE MERITS OF THIS POLICY ARE IN DISPUTE FROM TIME TO TIME BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO REMIND OUR INSTANT CRITICS THAT, FIRST, IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT THE SERVICE OF EXPERIENCED AND EFFICIENT OFFICERS BE RETAINED; SECONDLY. IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT THE STATUTORY RETIREMENT AGE OF 55 IS UNREALISTIC IN THIS DAY AND AGE; AND, THIRDLY, UNLESS OFFICERS WHO HAVE REACHED THE STATUTORY RETIREMENT AGE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GRATUITY-BEARING CONTRACT TERMS OR ARE PERMITTED TO DRAW THEIR PENSIONS IN ADDITION TO THEIR SALARIES, CONTINUED SERVICE WITH THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE UNATTRACTIVE, GIVEN THAT THE OFFICERS CONCERNED CAN RETIRE WITH THEIR EARNED PENSIONS AND THEN TAKE UP PAID EMPLOYMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE COST TO PUBLIC FUNDS OF EMPLOYING AN OFFICER ON PENSION AFTER RETIREMENT IS VIRTUALLY THE SAME AS THE COST OF THE PENSION PAYABLE TO AN OFFICER WHO LEAVES THE SERVICE PLUS THE EMOLUMENTS OF HIS REPLACEMENT. ADDITIONAL COST TO THE TREASURY.
SO THERE IS NO NET
TRAINING