XN000022-1992-04-24 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1992

PERIOD,

MR TSANG SAID

REFERRING TO BURGLARY FIGURES IN THE THAT THEY SHOWED A SEVEN PER CENT DECREASE COMPARED WITH THE LAST QUARTER AND A 10 PER CENT INCREASE COMPARED WITH THE FIRST QUARTER 1991.

OF

COMMENTING ON THE VEHICLE CRIMES, HE TOLD THE PRESS THAT THEFT OF LUXURY CARS CONTINUED TO BE A MATTER FOR CONCERN. HE NOTED THAT A TOTAL OF 294 OF THESE CARS WERE STOLEN DURING THE PERIOD, COMPARED WITH 232 IN THE PRECEDING QUARTER AND 308

IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991.

"DURING THIS QUARTER, 16 PERSONS WERE ARRESTED FOR THE THEFT AND HANDLING OF THIS TYPE OF CAR AND 83 LUXURY CARS WERE RECOVERED.

"TAKING CONVEYANCE WITHOUT AUTHORITY CASES DECREASED BY 23.8 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING QUARTER, AND 1.2 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991, HE SAID.

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MR TSANG NOTED THAT GENERAL CRIME FIGURES HAD REMAINED STABLE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1992.

NO DECISION ON 1992 CIVIL SERVICE PAY ADJUSTMENT

THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, TODAY (FRIDAY) MET STAFF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL, THE MODEL SCALE I STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL AND THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL TO HEAR THEIR VIEWS ON THIS YEAR'S CIVIL SERVICE PAY ADJUSTMENT.

MR WIGGHAM TOLD THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT NO DECISION WOULD BE TAKEN ON THE SIZE OF THE PAY ADJUSTMENT THIS YEAR UNTIL THE PAY TREND SURVEY RESULTS ARE KNOWN.

"THE PAY TREND SURVEY IS IN PROGRESS AND THE FINDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE IN MID-MAY," HE SAID.

"STAFF WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TO PUT THEIR CLAIM TO THE GOVERNMENT.

"THIS WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, ALONG WITH OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, SUCH AS THE PAY TREND INDICATORS AND FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION, IN DECIDING ON THE SIZE OF PAY ADJUSTMENT.

M

MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT AS IN LAST YEAR, A DCISION WOULD BE MADE IN JUNE AND THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT WOULD TAKE RETROSPECTIVE EFFECT FROM APRIL 1.

HOWEVER, HE EMPHASISED THAT EACH YEAR'S PAY INDEPENDENT EXERCISE.

ADJUSTMENT IS AN

"THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE GOVERNMENT BEING UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO PAY BACK ANY SHORTFALL FROM PREVIOUS YEARS,' HE ADDED.

"

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