TNAG-1609-FCO40-22131-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 182

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1

and

Sc what Miss Dunn described as front line departments I assume

she included the OMELCO Secretariat in that definition).

Sc

that

itself

I

must say, however, I do not care much for the idea that the

Secretariat is not a front line department. I and my

colleagues in

in this

this Council, who also form part of the

Secretariat, could hardly be described as back room boys.

We certainly stand in the firing line more often than most.

Dr. Lam suggested that procedures for dealing with

irresponsible and inefficient civil servants should be put

in place. These are already well-established under Civil

Service Regulations and the Public Service

Service Commission's

advice is sought on disciplinary cases. Punishment can

range from formal warnings to deferment of increment, to

compulsory retirement in the public interest or dismissal in

more serious cases. These powers are certainly used and

during 1986 87, 26 officers were compulsorily retired and

190 dismissed for incompetence, serious disciplinary

offences or on other grounds.

Sir,

λ

لال

Mr. Sohmen commented on the need for stability and

continuity in the public service. The point is well made.

But there have only been three resignations from directorate

officers in the past year, out of a total strength of over a

thousand. The wastage rate in the service as a whole has

fer cent declined from 6 ten years ago to 3 in the last couple of

years,