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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1992
ON THE CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS AND THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, SHE SAID THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY ISSUED WEATHER FORECAST BULLETINS TWICE A DAY (AROUND NOON AND 4 PM) ON WERKDAYS TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION TELEPHONED THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY AROUND 4.15 PM FOR A TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR THE NIGHT WHEN NECESSARY.
WOULD
ON SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, THE TWO DEPARTMENTS CONTACT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY BY TELEPHONE FOR WEATHER
FORECASTS.
IF THE WEATHER CHANGED UNEXPECTEDLY, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WOULD CONTACT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS, MRS WONG SAID.
SEA PASSAGES FOR RETIRING CIVIL SERVANTS TO BE REPLACED
THERE WERE PLANS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING SCHEME OF PROVIDING SEA PASSAGES TO ELIGIBLE OVERSEAS OFFICERS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WITH AN EX-GRATIA PAYMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON STEPHEN NG, MR WIGGHAM EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING SCHEME BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER JUSTIFIED IN PRESENT DAY
CIRCUMSTANCES.
HE STRESSED THAT THE TOTAL COST OF EX-GRATIA PAYMENT WOULD EXCEED THE COST OF MAINTAINING THE PRESENT SCHEME.
THE
NOT
MR WIGGHAM SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSULTED THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNED, AND WOULD BE SEEKING THE ADVICE OF THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND OTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE.
HE HOPED THAT A DECISION COULD BE REACHED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, FOLLOWING WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD APPROACH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR FUNDS TO FINANCE THE NEW SCHEME.
REFERRING TO THE EXISTING SCHEME, MR WIGGHAM POINTED OUT THAT OVERSEAS OFFICERS APPOINTED BEFORE DECEMBER 1. 1984 WERE ELIGIBLE FOR A SEA PASSAGE TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN WHEN THEY LEAVE THE SERVICE PROVIDED THEY MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
PENSIONABLE OFFICERS WHO RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 50 OR OVER; AND
AGREEMENT OFFICERS AGED 50 OR OVER ON OF NOT LESS THAN 15 YEARS OF PUBLIC OR ANOTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORY.
SATISFACTORY COMPLETION SERVICE IN HONG KONG
/AN OFFICER'S