TNAG-0992-FCO40-1211-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 272

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obtained the Royal Society of Health Diploma for Inspectors of Meat and Other Foods. This second diploma qualifies them for advancement in the Health Inspector grade from rank II to rank I. The results in the examination for the Diploma in Solid Wastes Management, which is only an alternative for advancement, are less satisfactory. is not the same incentive to select this Diploma and the results may also be affected by the fact that study for the Solid Wastes Diploma examination is on a part-time day-release basis whereas the other two Royal Society of Health diplomas are both full-time courses.

With regard to the second point we have seen no evidence to prove that school certificate holders in the Health Inspectorate are not capable of performing the managerial duties assigned to them. Furthermore, in our opinion, the basic educational qualification held by Student Health Inspectors ceases to have the same importance on completion of training when they all become diplomates of the Royal Society of Health. In other words they have all undergone a further period of study, which in addition to providing specialist training also better equips them academically to perform the duties of their grade.

It is common in both the private and public sectors for up and coming employees to be given appropriate courses in management to prepare them for more senior managerial positions. We believe this is a better way of ensuring that senior ranks in the Health Inspectorate improve their managerial performance.

The other points raised were the age at which the Diploma for Public Health Inspection for General Overseas Appointments is awarded, the minimum entry qualification for student Environmental Health Officers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, and the Health Inspectors Training Board's recommendation for raising the entry qualification to matriculation. On these points we would comment as follows :

(i) We understand that the majority of students are

already 21 at the time they sit their examination and that even if they are under 21 they do not have to wait until reaching that age before receiving a Health Inspector's pay. We are also aware of a proposal for changing the period of training from two to three years to enable students to obtain practical on-the-job experience. We support this proposal which should make the training more effective and alleviate, if not eliminate, the age problem.

(ii)

We have already stated in paragraph 6.22 of our Report No. 2 that the pay and structure of the Hong Kong civil service should be related to Hong Kong circumstances and not to those of other countries.