I
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1992
12
PRACTICAL MEASURES DRAWN UP TO ACCELERATE LOCALISATION
*
PRACTICAL MEASURES HAVE BEEN DRAWN
DRAWN UP IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE TO ACCELERATE THE PROGRESS OF LOCALISATION, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HENRY TANG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR WIGGHAM SAID A DOUBLE-LADDER SCHEME AND A DEVELOPMENT POSTS SCHEME HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO GROOM LOCAL NON-DIRECTORATE OFFICERS AND ENHANCE THEIR SUITABILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT.
IN THE POLICE FORCE, STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO IDENTIFY SUITABLE LOCAL OFFICERS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT TRAINING COURSES TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER ADVANCEMENT.
OVERSEAS OFFICERS WORKING IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW GENERALLY BEEN REQUIRED TO RETIRE ON REACHING THE AGE OF 57.
THIS AIMS TO AVOID THE NEED
AVOID THE NEED TO RETIRE A LARGER NUMBER OF SENIOR OVERSEAS OFFICERS CLOSER TO 1997.
MR WIGGHAM SAID UNDER THE LOCALISATION POLICY, SUITABLY QUALIFIED LOCAL CANDIDATES ARE GIVEN PREFERENCE FOR APPOINTMENT.
THE AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLY QUALIFIED LOCAL OFFICERS IS ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CONSIDERING RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR OVERSEAS OFFICERS.
"LOCALISATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IS TAKING PLACE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RATE AT WHICH QUALIFIED AND SUITABLE LOCAL CANDIDATES BECOME AVAILABLE, HE SAID.
11
"LOCALISATION HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A GRADUAL PROCESS, DURING WHICH THE HIGH QUALITY OF HONG KONG'S ADMINISTRATION WILL BE MAINTAINED.
14
SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LOCALISATION POLICY IN THE 1950'S, THE PERCENTAGE OF OVERSEAS OFFICERS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AS A WHOLE HAS SHRUNK FROM ABOUT 4.4% IN 1952 TO ABOUT 1.4% AT PRESENT.
LOCAL OFFICERS NOW FILL 63.2% OF THE DIRECTORATE POSTS AND 76.9% OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT/PROFESSIONAL POSTS INCLUDING THE HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN SECONDED OR TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.
AT THE TOP, LOCAL OFFICERS ALSO FILL HALF OF THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT AND POLICY SECRETARY POSTS.
FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, LOCAL OFFICERS CONSTITUTE ABOUT 14% AT THE DIRECTORATE LEVEL AND 54% AT THE NON-DIRECTORATE LEVEL.
/IN THE