WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992
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SUFFICIENT TALENTED LOCAL OFFICERS AVAILABLE
TO ENSURE SMOOTH TRANSITION
* * * * *
THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT SUFFICIENT AND TALENTED LOCAL OFFICERS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FILL THOSE POSTS SPECIFIED IN THE BASIC LAW.
"WE WILL HAVE QUALIFIED LOCAL OFFICERS WHO CAN MEET THE NATIONALITY AND RIGHT OF ABODE PROVISIONS IN PLACE IN GOOD TIME THAT IS WELL BEFORE 1997 SO AS TO ENSURE CONTINUITY AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN THE MOST SENIOR RANKS OF OUR CIVIL SERVICE, HE STATED.
"
"IN MANAGEMENT TERMS, THIS WILL INVOLVE ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A RESERVOIR OF LOCAL TALENT AT SENIOR LEVELS UPON WHICH ΤΟ DRAW IN FUTURE TO FILL POSTS AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICIAL LEVEL."
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR WIGGHAM TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSION THAT HAD CREPT IN OVER WHICH POSTS WERE COVERED BY BASIC LAW REFERENCES TO PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS.
HE SAID WHEN THE BASIC LAW REFERRED TO SECRETARIES AND DEPUTY SECRETARIES OF DEPARTMENTS, IT WAS TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE THREE MOST SENIOR POSTS - CHIEF SECRETARY, FINANCIAL SECRETARY ATTORNEY GENERAL TOGETHER WITH THEIR DEPUTIES, IF ANY.
AND
IN
LIKEWISE WHAT THE BASIC LAW CALLS DIRECTORS OF BUREAUX ARE FACT POLICY SECRETARIES; BUT THEIR DEPUTIES ARE NOT CAUGHT IN THE LIST OF POSTS WITH A NATIONALITY QUALIFICATION.
"I MAKE THE POINT AS I SAY IN PART TO CLEAR AWAY CONFUSION; IN PART ΤΟ EMPHASISE THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF POSTS WHICH ARE SUBJECT ΤΟ THE RESTRICTIONS STIPULATED IN THE BASIC LAW," SAID MR WIGGHAM.
STRICT POSTS.
זז
"IF THE RELEVANT BASIC LAW PROVISION WERE IN FORCE TODAY, ON A INTERPRETATION, THE RESTRICTION WOULD PROBABLY ONLY AFFECT 22
TURNING ΤΟ LOCALISATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR WIGGHAM REPORTED THAT A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS WERE COMPLETELY LOCALISED.
IN THE DIRECTORATE OVERALL, 63 PER CENT OF POSTS ARE FILLED BY LOCAL OFFICERS WHILE OVER HALF HEAD OF DEPARTMENT AND SECRETARY POSTS ARE ALSO FILLED BY LOCAL OFFICERS.
SPECIAL MEASURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ADVANCE LOCALISATION AND ENSURE A STEADY SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED LOCAL OFFICERS FOR SENIOR POSTS IN FUTURE.
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CITING EXAMPLES, MR WIGGHAM SAID LOCAL NON-DIRECTORATE OFFICERS IN THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE GIVEN ADVANCED PROMOTION AND BETTER CAREER PROSPECTS UNDER THE 'DOUBLE LADDER" SCHEME; WHILST THE DEVELOPMENT POSTS SCHEME WOULD FACILITATE THE LOCALISATION OF THE DIRECTORATE BY PROVIDING LOCAL SENIOR CROWN COUNSEL WITH MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND CAREER EXPOSURE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE THEIR PROMOTION PROSPECTS.
HE ALSO