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THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IS THUS REPRESENTATIVE AND CLOSELY KNIT: IT

IS SUPPLEMENTED BY A NETWORK OF OVER 400 ADVISORY BODIES: IT HAS

EVOLVED AS A RESULT OF A CONTINUING CONSULTATIVE PROCESS BETWEEN

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

25.

LOOKING AHEAD TO DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS THE

PUBLIC WILL BE CONSULTED ON RECOMMENDATIONS STEMMING FROM A

REVIEW CARRIED OUT IN 1985 OF SYSTEMS PROVIDING FOR REDRESS OF

GRIEVANCES. ONE POSSIBILITY WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE PUBLICLY

EXAMINED IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INSTITUTION TO ENQUIRE, ON AN INDEPENDENT BASIS, INTO COMPLAINTS ALLEGING MALADMINISTRATION BY

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

CIVIL SERVICE

(E) 26. WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE THE PROPORTION OF LOCAL OFFICERS

HOLDING DIRECTORATE POSTS REACHED 50 PER CENT WITH AN INCREASING

NUMBER OF LOCAL OFFICERS TAKING UP SENIOR POSITIONS. THE HONG

KONG GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT BY CONTINUING WITH THEIR

LOCALISATION POLICY THEY WERE CONFIDENT THAT SUFFICIENT LOCAL

PEOPLE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FILL TOP POSTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

BEFORE 1997. AS REGARDS THE POLICE FORCE, THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THAT LOCALISATION OF THE SENIOR RANKS HAD TO

BE AT A FASTER PACE THAN HITHERTO ACHIEVED: A STEERING GROUP OF

SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WAS CHARGED WITH RECOMMENDING TO THE

GOVERNOR HOW THIS OBJECTIVE WAS BEST TO BE ATTAINED WITHOUT

JEOPARDISING EITHER THE FORCE'S EFFICIENCY OR ITS MORALE.

INITIAL CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING

A LIMITED COMPENSATION SCHEME ON LINES SIMILAR TO SCHEMES

INTRODUCED INTO FORMER BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AT THE TIME

OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE, WHICH AMONG OTHER THINGS, WOULD ENABLE PENSIONABLE OVERSEAS OFFICERS WHO WERE EITHER REQUIRED TO RETIRE, OR SUPERSEDED FOR PROMOTION TO MAKE WAY FOR LOCAL OFFICERS, TO BE

COMPENSATED FOR LOSS OF CAREER.

IV. STATE OF THE ECONOMY

27.

THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG

KONG REMOVED MUCH OF THE SHADOW OF UNCERTAINTY WHICH HAD HUNG

OVER THE HONG KONG ECONOMY IN 1983 AND MOST OF 1984. BUT THE

ECONOMY REMAINED DEPENDENT ON TRADE AND HENCE VULNERABLE TO

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