FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1993
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LOCAL TERMS FOR ELIGIBLE EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT OVERSEAS AGREEMENT (CONTRACT) CIVIL SERVANTS WHO ARE HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR TRANSFER TO LOCAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, SUBJECT то CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
UNDER THE EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS, THE STATUS OF A CANDIDATE FOR A CIVIL SERVICE VACANCY, THAT IS, WHETHER HE OR SHE TS TO BE APPOINTED ON "OVERSEAS" OR "LOCAL" TERMS, IS ESTABLISHED BEFORE HE OR SHE IS OFFERED AN APPOINTMENT.
"THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN NOT TO ALLOW ANY CHANGE OF TERMS AFTER THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
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"BUT CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CHANGE SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE YEARS, FROM SOMEONE BEING A TOTAL NEWCOMER TO HONG KONG TO SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED AND WORKED HERE FOR MANY YEARS, REGARDS HONG KONG AS HIS OR HER HOME AND IS COMMITTED TO STAYING HERE AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
"IT IS ONLY REASONABLE TO ALLOW SUCH A PERSON TO APPLY FOR A CHANGE TO LOCAL TERMS, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
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ONE SUCH CONDITION IS THAT THE OFFICER HAS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG BY BECOMING A "PERMANENT RESIDENT", AS DEFINED UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE. FOR MOST OVERSEAS OFFICERS THIS WOULD INVOLVE THEIR NATURALISING AS BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS.
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OTHER CONDITIONS INCLUDE THE NORMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CIVIL SERVICE NEED. SATISFACTORY CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE, AND PHYSICAL FITNESS.
SERVICE EMPLOYMENT
THE SPOKESMAN SAID ALL SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR TRANSFER TO LOCAL TERMS WOULD TRANSFER TO LOCAL AGREEMENT TERMS.
"BUT IN GRADES WHERE SUCH TERMS ARE NOT CURRENTLY ON OFFER, OUR TENTATIVE THINKING IS THAT FURTHER EMPLOYMENT REYOND THE FIRST LOCAL CONTRACT SHOULD BE ON THE PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE ESTABLISHMENT,
+ HE SAID.
"THE OFFER OF SUCH FURTHER EMPLOYMENT MIGHT ALSO BE CONDITIONAL UPON THE OFFICER HAVING ATTAINED A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE.
"HOWEVER THESE ARE LONGER-TERM MATTERS WHICH REQUIRE FURTHER CONSULTATION AND DISCUSSION WITH STAFF, AND ALSO POSSIBLY WITH THE CHINES SIDE OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
OVERSEAS OFFICERS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO TRANSFER TO LOCAL TERMS WILL REMAIN ON OVERSEAS TERMS AND CONTINUE TO BE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT BY LOCAL OFFICERS UNDER THE LOCALISATION POLICY.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT REMAINED FIRMLY COMMITTED TO THE LOCALISATION POLICY, ADDING THAT THE TWO MAJOR TENETS OF THE POLICY GIVING PREFERENCE TO LOCAL CANDIDATES ON RECRUITMENT AND REPLACING OVERSEAS AGREEMENT OFFICERS BY SUITABLE LOCAL OFFICERS REMAINED UNCHANGED.
/HE BELIEVED