XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 17

16

WEDNLL-DAY, APRIL 17, 1985

CONTRACT TERMS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

DR HENRIETTA IP SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROMOTE THE USE OF GRATUITY-BEARING CONTRACT TERMS FOR CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT. I SHOULD SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT THE NORMAL TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE ARE PERMANENT AND PENSION ABLE. IN COMMON WITH MOST OTHER CIVIL SERVICES, IN THE BRITISH TRADITION AT LEAST, THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE IS A CAREER SERVICE, BASED ON THE TWIN CONCEPTS OF CAPTIVITY AND SECURITY. IT IS SELF-EVIDENT, AT LEAST IN MY VIEW, THAT EMPLOYMENT ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS IS AN ESSENTIAL PRE-REQUISITE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE IMPARTIALITY AND FREEDOM FROM SECTIONAL PRESSURES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

THERE

BUT CONTRACT TERMS OF SERVICE ARE USED IN THREE SETS OF CIRCUMSTANCES. FIRST: AS A MATTER OF POLICY, OFFICERS RECRUITED OVERSEAS ARE APPOINTED ON CONTRACT TERMS ONLY ALTHOUGH, UNTIL RECENTLY, THERE WERE TWO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE: FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE AND THE INSPECTORATE OF THE POLICE. ARE SOME 2 200 OVERSEAS OFFICERS PRESENTLY EMPLOYED ON GRATUITY- BEARING CONTRACT TERMS, SECOND: CONTRACT TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT APE FROM TIME TO TIME USED TO ATTRACT LOCAL CANDIDATES TO GRADES WHERE DIFFICULTIES ARE ENCOUNTERED IN RECRUITING SUFFICIENT NUMBERS ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS, MAINLY IN CERTAIN

THERE ARE SOME 700 LOCAL OFFICERS PROFESSIONAL GRADES.

PRESENTLY EMPLOYED ON GRATUITY-BEARING CONTRACT TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT. MINERS (LOCAL AND OVERSEAS) WHO ARE RE-EMPLOYED AFTER

TRY AGE OF RETIREMENT MAY BE EMPLOYED ON

-CESSARILY ON GRATUITY-BEARING CONTRACTS.

INCLUDING

PEACHIN CONTRACT TERMS, BUT THERE ARE PRESENTLY SOME 20 OFFICERS SO EMPLOYED,

= 650 POLICE RANK AND FILE WHO RETIRED BEFORE REACHING THE AGE OF 55 IN ACCORDANCE WITH LONG STANDING REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE POLICE FORCE.

הד

BUT THESE ARE THE EXCEPTIONS AND, WHILE CONTRACT TERMS ARE

▲ DEGREE OF CROSS VALUABLE IN ACHIEVING, AMONGST OTHER THINGS FERTILISATION OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVAT SECTORS, THEY CANNOT BE THE MAIN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE. A CIVIL SERVICE BASED LARGELY ON CONTRACT TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, WITH OFFICERS FREE TO COME AND GO IF THEY PLEASED WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO MAINTAINING CONTINUITY AND STABILITY. I CAN ALSO ASSURE MEMBERS, AND PARTICULARLY DR IP, THAT THE EMPLOYMENT OF STAFF ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS DOES NOT FORCE THE GOVERNMENT TO KEEP REDUNDANT OFFICERS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT. THERE ARE WELL-ESTABLISHED RULES WHEREBY CIVIL SERVANTS CAN BE RET! RED COMPULSORILY ON VARIOUS GROUNDS, INCLUDING REDUNDANCY, AND THESE ARE INVOKED FROM TIME TO TIME.

+

/EXT NATUR