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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1993
WE DO NEED TO TAKE THE GREATEST CARE THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT STEP TOO FAR DOWN THIS SLIPPERY SLOPE TO A POINT WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE POLITICISATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. APPOINTMENTS ARE A MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY AND WE HAVE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO ACT AS THE PROPER MECHANISM OF PUBLIC SAFEGUARD THAT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE PROPERLY DISCHARGED. AND THE POLITICAL NEUTRALITY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IS ITSELF ONE OF THE KEY SAFEGUARDS OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
MR PRESIDENT, I HAVE BEEN HONOURED TO HEAD THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. WE HAVE A FINE AND IMMENSELY LOYAL BODY OF MEN AND WOMEN DOING THEIR BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. AS I HAVE SAID EARLIER, TO ME THEY EMBODY IN SO MANY WAYS ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, THIS MEANS WEAKNESSES AS WELL AS STRENGTHS. BUT IF YOU LOOK ABOUT YOU AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE TOGETHER ACHIEVED, I THINK YOU WILL AGREE THAT THOSE STRENGTHS DEMONSTRABLY OVERWHELM ANY WEAKNESSES. LONG MAY IT CONTINUE TO BE SO,
MR PRESIDENT I HOPE I WOULD NOT BE RULED OUT OF ORDER IF I ALSO SAY A FEW WORDS WHICH ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS MOTION, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU MR PRESIDENT AND ALL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL FOR ALL THE KINDNESS, FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN ME DURING MY TIME, BOTH AS CHIEF SECRETARY AND ALSO AS CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. MY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS WILL NEVER BE QUITE THE SAME AGAIN. I AM VERY SAD TO BE LEAVING HONG KONG BUT I HAVE TWO CONSOLATIONS. FIRSTLY I CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE HONG KONG AS HONG KONG'S COMMISSIONER IN LONDON. AND SECONDLY, I LEAVE MY POST IN VERY CAPABLE HANDS.
MR PRESIDENT, I AM HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
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SCS IN MOTION DEBATE
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FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR STUART HARBINSON, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY):
MR PRESIDENT,
MOVING
I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIV-KIT FOR THIS MOTION, THUS GIVING ME A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY то PAY A WELL- DESERVED TRIBUTE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR CIVIL SERVICE.
AS THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAS SAID, IT IS ALL TOO EASY TO FORGET OR TO TAKE FOR GRANTED THE CENTRAL ROLE THE CIVIL SERVICE PLAYS. IT IS A FACT THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. I AM GLAD THAT THIS FACT IS RECOGNISED BY THE MOTION.
THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO HAVING A HIGHLY MOTIVATED SERVICE. WE ARE DETERMINED TO ENSURE THAT CIVIL SERVANTS CONTINUE TO SEE A LONG-TERM CAREER IN THE GOVERNMENT AND LOOK TO 1997 AND BEYOND WITH A POSITIVE SPIRIT, IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PUBLIC VALUES THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. WE HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING A GREAT DEAL TO THIS END I SHALL RESPOND TO THE POINTS MEMBERS RAISED IN A MINUTE.
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/I SHALL