Reply:
(d)
(e)
Mr President,
- 21.
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the number of the above department heads who are seconded from the consultancy firms undertaking the Western
Western Corridor Railway consultancy contracts; and whether the question of conflict of interest has been considered when employing such staff; and
whether the KCRC will streamline the establishment of department heads of the West Rail Division, so as to reduce the remuneration expenses arising from the secondment of staff from the consultancy firms?
The West Rail Division of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation is headed by a KCRC director and comprises a small group of senior KCRC managers as well as a core group of consultant advisors which together form the Division's integrated project team.
The KCRC rely on the use of the core consultant advisors during this early planning stage of the project because approval for the project has yet to be given by Government. The Corporation considered it imprudent to have a large, permanent in- house staff for requirements that might be temporary in nature. As planning for the project advances, KCRC envisage a progressive increase in permanent staff in the West Rail Division.
As regards details, the answers to the specific questions are as follows:
(a)
(b)
Under the Director West Rail, there are fourteen department heads in the West Rail Division. Five of these are considered to be at or above the assistant project manager and chief engineer levels and are presently filled by consultant staff. These staff members are not of the Chinese race and do not hold Hong Kong permanent resident status. Of the nine other department heads in the West Rail Division below the chief engineer level, four are filled by KCRC staff members, three of whom are Chinese and in possession of Hong Kong permanent resident status.
The appointment of KCRC department heads is either by internal promotion, transfer within the Corporation or recruitment from outside. In the case of internal promotion, vacancies are filled by suitably qualified people. In the case of outside recruitment, the main criterion is to get the right person for the job. Localisation is an important factor as KCRC advertise overseas if and only if no suitable local candidates can be found.