CO129-599-2 Salaries Commission- 1947 Report 1-1-1947 - 31-12-1949 — Page 21

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that if such candidates are available with the necessary qualifications they should be given preference over other candidates who come into the Colony from outside.

Incorporation of element for rent in basic salaries.

31.

The salary scales we propose include an clement for rent, and where quarters are provided by Government we recommend an appropriate deduction from salary. We are of the opinion that the present diversity of conditions of service under which some officers receive free quarters, some are charged 6% of salary, some 12% and others receive a contribution towards their rent in the form of a rent allowance, is undesirable and should be abandoned. This subject is more fully discussed in Chapter IV. It suffices to say at this juncture that the element we have incorporated into basic salaries in respect of rent should be sufficient in the majority of cases to eliminate the present privilege enjoyed by certain officers of adding one sixth of their salary to their pensionable emoluments. It should in addition form a reasonable contribution towards the rent of premises at controlled rates.

Reduction of diversity of scales.

32.

Paragraph (iii) of our terms of reference instructs us to keep in view in framing the recommenda- tions the desirability of reducing the present diversity of salary scales and conditions of service amongst the various grades of the public service. We have already recommended uniformity in connexion with rent for quarters and we have attempted by suggesting model scales for the main categories of Government servants to reduce the present extraordinary diversity of salary scales which are no doubt the result of piecemeal decisions taken over many years. We have accordingly divided the Government service into the following six main groups:-

(a) Minor Staff, Artisans and Foremen.

(b)

Storekeepers,

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(c)

Clerical,

(a) Executive or semi-administrative,

(e) Technical,

(f) Professional and administrative.

We have endeavoured to provide within each group for a reasonable career, but have also had in mind the possibility of an officer advancing from one group to another. In addition to the six groups mentioned above, there are two further groups which provide possible avenues of promotion:-

(g)

(h)

Specialist,

Superscale.

Our recommendations are based in the main on this system of grouping, but to allow for variations in duties,