XN000022-1987-06-24 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1987

IN FINANCIAL COLONY" BE

HE ALSO SAID THAT SOME STAFF UNIONS WERE WORRIED THAT PAYMENT OF PENSION WOULD BE AFFECTED IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS DIFFICULTIES AND REQUESTED THAT THE WORDING "FUNDS OF THE AMENDED TO "FUNDS OF HONG KONG",

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD BE PAID OUT OF THE RESERVE FUND.

THE UNIONS ALSO FELT THAT

THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF DEPENDANTS PENSION, WHICH HAD NOT BE REVISED SINCE 1965, SHOULD BE REVIEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

ON THE OPTION PERIOD DURING WHICH AN OFFICER OVER THE AGE OF 49 WAS TO ELECT WHETHER TO JOIN THE NEW SCHENE, MR TAM SAID THE UNIONS WERE OF THE OPINION THAT IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED FROM ONE YEAR TO A MORE REASONABLE PERIOD OF THREE YEARS.

THEY ALSO FELT THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE OLD PENSION SCHEME ALLOWING AN OFFICER TO EARLY RETIREMENT AT THE AGE OF 45 WAS OBJECTIONABLE BECAUSE THE NEW SCHEME WAS SUPPOSED TO "IMPROVE" THF OLD ONE, HE SAID.

TO BE

RE

MR TAM SAID IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE NEW SCHEME HAD IN EFFECT IN JULY, OTHERWISE THOUSANDS OF CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD AFFECTED, HE WOULD GIVE HIS SUPPORT TO THE MOTION.

"HOWEVER, I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO THE REQUESTS PUT FORWARD BY THE STAFF SIDE AND WILL GIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION ΤΟ THEN IN FUTURE, HE ADDED.

+1

PRUDENT POLICY ON USE OF RESOURCES STRESSED

* * * * *

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, TODAY Į WEDNESDAY) STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF PRUDENT POLICIES AT ALL TIMES BY GOVERNMENT IN REGARD TO THE USE OF MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL

RESOURCES.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE PENSION BENEFITS BILL 1987, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID IF HONG KONG WERE TO REMAIN A PROSPEROUS AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITY, THERE SHOULD BE PRUDENT CONTROL OF THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND STEADY PROGRESSION IN THE PRIVATISATION OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT WHEREVER IT WAS ECONOMIC AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO DO SO.

HE SAID

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