NOTE OF THE CALL ON MR GOODLAD BY MR WONG AND MR TANG, THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE HONG KONG CHINESE CIVIL
SERVANTS ASSOCIATION ON 19 NOVEMBER
1. Mr Wong said that despite assurances in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, and amendments to pension legislation, civil servants needed a financial guarantee that their pensions were secure. All major civil service associations supported a proposal that HKG establish before 1997 a pension reserve fund equivalent to 5 years expenditure on pensions. They had first made this proposal in 1985, but no decision had been taken by HKG.
2.
Mr Wong said that they had received support from some prominent politicians in the UK, including Mr Ashdown and Mr Rogers. He warned that there was a possibility of industrial action if a decision to establish a fund was not
If there was no decision within the next few weeks, civil servants would demand an extension to the option deadline for the new pension scheme.
taken soon.
3.
Mr Wong considered that HMG had an obligation to protect pensions earned by Hong Kong Crown servants during British sovereignty. He wished to have an assurance from HMG that HKG would establish a pension reserve fund. When the Association had met Lu Ping in October, Lu had fully supported the establishment of a fund and had said that the Chinese side would raise it at the next JLG.
4.
Mr Goodlad said that pensions were safeguarded in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law; they were also a statutory right and charge on general revenue. Pension funding accounted for only a very small percentage of HKG's annual expenditure, and the Hong Kong economy would have to collapse before HKG/SARG were unable to pay pensions.
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