XN000022-1990-10-18 — Page 4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1990

CIVIL SERVICE GUIDELINES ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

A CIRCULAR WILL BE ISSUED ΤΟ CIVIL SERVANTS CONTAINING GUIDELINES REGARDING THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CIRCULAR IS TO REITERATE THE GOVERNMENT'8 POLICY ON THE MAINTENANCE OF THE POLITICAL NEUTRALITY OF THE CIVIL

ΤΟ ADDRESS SERVICE, AS EXPLAINED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS OPENING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WERE ALREADY RESTRICTIONS GOVERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

"IN VIEW OF A LIKELY INCREASE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR IT TO BE MADE CLEAR TO CIVIL SERVANTS WHAT CONSTITUTES CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT Et HR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IS, AND IS SEEN TO BR, CONDUCTED IMPARTIALLY, POINTED OUT.

AT PRESENT, CIVIL SERVANTS OTHER THAN DISCIPLINED OFFICERS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, ARE NOT PROHIBITED FROM JOINING POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS.

THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN BLECTIONEERING ACTIVITIES IS PERMISSIBLE ONLY WHERE THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES.

ADDITIONALLY, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO OBSERVE CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS GOVERNING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND OUTSIDE WORK.

FROM BEING

ALL CIVIL SERVANTS ARE ALSO CURRENTLY DISQUALIFIED NOMINATED AS CANDIDATES OR BEING ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, REGIONAL AND URBAN COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS,

"IN ADDITION ΤΟ PREVENTING CONFLICT OF DISQUALIFICATION ENSURES THE NECESSARY SEPARATION OF EXECUTIVE POWERS," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

INTEREST, THIS LEGISLATIVE AND

OBJECTION

THE CIRCULAR POINTS OUT THAT WHILE THERE IS NO

TO

MEMBERS CIVIL SERVANTS BECOMING

THEY OF POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS, SHOULD EXERCISE RESTRAINT IN THEIR

IN POLITICAL

ACTIVITIES.

INVOLVEMENT

PROHIBITED

FROM A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF CIVIL SERVANTS WILL BE

OF THEIR PARTICIPATING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE of the NATURE

OFFICERS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS DUTIES. THEY ARE DIRECTORATE

AND

INFORMATION OFFICERS.

A HIGH "THESE OFFICERS ARE IN POLICY-MAKING POSITIONS OR HAVE

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES PUBLIC PROFILE AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN OUTSIDE

IN THEIR COULD GIVE RISE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPARTIALITY

WORK,"

THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE POLITICAL