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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1993
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE UNDERLYING THE CIRCULAR WAS THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE SHOULD REMAIN POLITICALLY NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS WAS, AND WAS SEEN TO BE, CONDUCTED IMPARTIALLY.
"THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE INVOLVEMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN POLITICS HAS LED TO ANY COMPROMISE WITH THIS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF CIVIL SERVICE POLITICAL NEUTRALITY, MR HARBINSON SAID.
HE NOTED THAT UNDER THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS ORDINANCE, CIVIL SERVANTS WERE DISQUALIFIED FROM SEEKING ELECTION TO DISTRICT BOARDS, THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS, AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
ADDITIONALLY, UNDER CIVIL SERVICE GUIDELINES, ALL DIRECTORATE OFFICERS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS AND INFORMATION OFFICERS WERF PROHIBITED FROM TAKING PART IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THEIR JOBS MIGHT MAKE THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO ACCUSATIONS OF BIAS.
OTHERWISE, CIVIL SERVANTS WERE FREE TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, PROVIDED THIS DID NOT GIVE RISE ΤΟ ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES.
THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:
* SUPPORTING OR PARTICIPATING IN POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS,
CANVASSING OR CAMPAIGNING ON THEIR BEHALF.
*
AND
DISTRIBUTING POLITICAL PUBLICATIONS AND PROMOTING OR ADVOCATING POLITICAL VIEWS OR THE ELECTIONEERING PLATFORM OF
ANY CANDIDATE.
SPEAKING PUBLICLY OFFICIAL DUTIES.
POLITICAL ISSUES ON
OUTSIDE OF THEIR
·
MR HARBINSON ADDED THAT ONE SIGNIFICANT WAY IN WHICH CIVIL SERVANTS HAD PARTICIPATED IN POLITICS IN RECENT YEARS WAS THROUGH THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HE NOTED THAT CIVIL SERVANTS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN 12 PER OF THE TOTAL POTENTIAL ELECTORATE IN EIGHT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.
CENT
-
-
AND
THEY
IN TWO OF THEM ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURAL, SURVEYING PLANNING THEY ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE ELECTORATES. ALSO ACCOUNT FOR 35 PER CENT OF THE ELECTORATE IN THE TWO LABOUR SEATS, 18 PER CENT IN THE LEGAL AND 15 PER CENT IN ACCOUNTANCY.
'AS THE LARGEST SINGLE GROUP OF EMPLOYEES IN HONG KONG, AND THE LARGEST SINGLE GROUP OF TAXPAYERS, WE BELIEVE CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE AS
MUCH RIGHT AS ANY OTHER SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE PART IN THE POLITICAL PROCESSES THAT GOVERN THEIR LIVES AND THOSE OF THEIR
海珊
FAMILIES, WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY AND NEUTRALITY OF THE SERVICE,
MR HARBINSON ADDED.
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