XN000022-1977-08-30 — Page 2

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1977

LAW PROFESSOR TO CONDUCT PAY INQUIRY

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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT PROFESSOR P.G. WILLOUGHBY. SECOND PROFESSOR OF LAW AT HONG KONG

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UNIVERSITY, HAD ACCEPTED THE GOVERNOR'S INVITATION TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY INTO THE FAIRNESS OR OTHERWISE OF THE RECENT PAY AWARD TO PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL GRADES.

COMMENTING ON PROF. WILLOUGHBY'S APPOINTMENT. THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. RON BRIDGE, SAID THAT IT FOLLOWED LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW PAY STRUCTURE FOR A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL GRADES IN THE P.W.D.

HE SAID THAT THE NEW PAY STRUCTURE WAS BASED ON A MOST CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF PAY RATES FOR SIMILAR WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. HOWEVER, THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMED TO HAVE A CASE FOR STILL HIGHER RATES OF PAY AND HAD NOT THEREFORE ACCEPTED THE NEW PAY STRUCTURE.

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE GOVERNOR HAD DECIDED TO APPOINT AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY TO ASSESS THE FAIRNESS OF THE AWARD.

DURING THE PERIOD OF THE INQUIRY ALL OFFICERS WHO CARRY OUT THEIR FULL DUTIES WILL BENEFIT FROM THE NEW HIGHER PAY RATES.

PROF. WILLOUGHBY'S TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE :

+HAVING REGARD TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PAY POLICY AS SUMMARISED IN THE 'STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND AIMS IN CIVIL SERVICE REMUNERATION'. TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE PROPOSALS APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT GRADES IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ARE FAIR OR OTHERWISE, AND TO RECOMMEND TO THE GOVERNOR WHETHER THOSE PROPOSALS SHOULD BE AMENDED.+

PROF. WILLOUGHBY CAME TO HONG KONG IN 1973 AS A SENIOR LECTURER ON LAW. HE WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL LEGAL EDUCATION IN 1974 AND TO THE SECOND CHAIR OF LAW IN JANUARY 1976. HE HAS BEEN LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING THE PROGRAMME FOR THE POST GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAWS AND HAS LECTURED PUBLICLY, PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF BOOKS AND WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY FOR LAW JOURNALS AND THE PRESS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF LAW.

PROF. WILLOUGHBY IS NOW IN THE U.K. ON HOLIDAY. HE PLANS TO ARRIVE BACK IN HONG KONG ON FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 2) AND TO START THE INQUIRY ON TUESDAY (SEPTEMBER 6). IT IS HOPED TO COMPLETE IT BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

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