TNAG-2668-FCO40-3865-Hong-Kong-Civil-Service-1993 — Page 150

- 7.

(b) to voice your opinion as to whether you agree with our suggestions for

revising the policy; and

(c) to support our request for an interim suspension of the policy while a

review is undertaken.

Secretary for Civil Service welcomes views of Legco

6. In our meeting with the Secretary for the Civil Service on 18 March 1993, the Secretary said that he would welcome the views of Legco members.

Executive Summary

7. This brief sets out in detail our Association's objections to Government's policy. Following is a summary of the issues and arguments which are elaborated more fully in the following pages -

(1) We support the Government's policy of giving preference to its local citizens

when recruiting for the civil service.

(2)

(3)

(4)

We accept the principle that the Hong Kong community should be administered by its local citizens.

We do not resist the Basic Law requirement that certain top posts be reserved for Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong.

We consider that the present localisation policy of not renewing the agreements of long serving overseas officers (the "non-renewal" policy) does not reflect the intention of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law and is in conflict with the Bill of Rights and the Letters Patent.

(5) The present policy discriminates' against a tiny minority of Hong Kong

persons on the basis of their social origin.

(6)

(7)

We call for a review of the non-renewal policy to ensure compliance with imminent constitutional changes, the current law and basic human rights.

We believe that it is important to retain overseas officers in the civil service, not just so that the Government can continue to benefit from their varied experience, but also to reflect to the world the cosmopolitan nature of Hong Kong.

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