TNAG-2212-FCO40-3172-Hong-Kong-annual-report-for-1990-1991 — Page 57

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In 1990/91, 16,500 flats will be offered for sale under the

programme, and up to 3,500 interest-free loans will be

offered to tenants of public housing flats and to low-income

households, to help them purchase their own private flats.

Two other new initiatives are worthy of note: the

finalisation of a proposal to sell quality rental flats to

tenants in public housing estates, and the launching of a

quality assurance programme for the housing design and construction process. The first will provide more

opportunity for home ownership while the second will ensure

better quality housing in the years ahead.

XI

CIVIL SERVICE

51.

The Hong Kong Government have for many years given

suitable local candidates preference in recruitment to the

Civil Service. The result has been an increasing number of

local officers in the more senior ranks. On 1 October 1990,

70 per cent of the 3,963 officers holding positions at the

senior management/professional level and above were local

officers. At the directorate level, the most senior ranks

in the Civil Service, local officers represented about 60

per cent of a total of 1,262 officers. The Hong Kong

Government are confident that the continued application of

this policy will enable top posts in the Civil Service to be

filled by local officers by 1997.

52. The Police force should be predominantly staffed by

local officers by the year 2000. At present overseas

officers constitute about 62 per cent of the force at the

rank of Superintendent and above while three-quarters of the

Inspectorate are local officers. Steps are being taken to identify more local officers for promotion and to provide

training to develop their potential.

53. In 1990, the overall turnover rate was about 5.5 per

cent of the strength of the Civil Service, lower than in

ALAAEV/17

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