14
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993
MR HARBINSON REASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THERE HAD BEEN
NO CHANGE TO THE LONG ESTABLISHED LOCALISATION POLICY IN WHICH LOCAL CANDIDATES WERE GIVEN PREFERENCE FOR CIVIL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS.
"THE ONLY CHANGE HAS BEEN THE NEED то ENSURE THAT ALL CANDIDATES WHO CAN ESTABLISH PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ARE TREATED EQUALLY INSOFAR AS ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE IS CONCERNED, AS REQUIRED BY THE BILL OF RIGHTS.'
"
"THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION,
HE SAID.
ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON CIVIL SERVICE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, MR HARBINSON SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO DEFINITION OF THE TERM "LOCAL" SO FAR.
HE POINTED OUT THAT REACHING AGREEMENT ON WHO WAS "LOCAL" WAS IMPORTANT AS IT WOULD PROVIDE A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.
HE ADDED THAT THERE WOULD ALSO HAVE ΤΟ BE APPROPRIATE CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
TURNING то THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGES PROGRAMME, THE ACTING SECRETARY SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT SOME FAVOURABLE COMMENT HAD BEEN PASSED ON IT.
"WE ARE ALSO NOW ENCOURAGING DEPARTMENTS TO UNDERTAKE CRITICAL REVIEWS OF THEIR SERVICES AND STRUCTURES," HE SAID.
IN THIS CONNECTION, CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH IS ALSO EXAMINING HOW HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS CAN BE BOTH IMPROVED AND DELEGATED TO DEPARTMENTS SO AS TO BRING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SPEED AT WHICH HEADS OF DEPARTMENT, AS LINE MANAGERS, ARE ABLE то RECRUIT, MANAGE, INCENTIVISE AND TRAIN STAFF.
REBUTTING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE PROVISIONS OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AGREED POLICY PROPOSALS, MR HARBINSON SAID THERE WAS NO ZERO GROWTH POLICY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.
"ADDITIONAL STAFF HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ BE PROVIDED
TO MEET COMMITMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGREED PRIORITIES.
ON POST-RETIREMENT EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR HARBINSON SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE TRADITIONS OF CIVIL SERVICE NEUTRALITY AND INTEGRITY.
HE ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE ALL POSSIBLE CARE ΤΟ SEE THAT NO UNFAIR ADVANTAGE WAS GAINED, IMPROPRIETY AROSE, AS A RESULT OF POST-RETIREMENT EMPLOYMENT.
OR
/15
Page 20Page 21