DFAP Keith Kwok reassures it is the Force management's intention no staff are made redundant

This was emphasised by Director of Finance, Administration and Planning Keith Kwok Ka-keung who noted there had been much comment and speculation on the future direction of the civil service in view of the many initiatives and reforms being implemented.

Some have said the civil service is cosseted, overmanned and out of touch with the "real world" while others such as staff, have expressed worry they could be cast aside in the name of cost effectiveness.

"There will be no redundancies arising from the exercise to contain the size of the civil service,"Mr Kwok said.

"Force management is fully aware of how unsettling these changes in the civil service can be. Staff can be rest assured that Force Management is committed to openness and fairness and is listening with a sympathetic and compassionate ear to concerns and opinions."

Mr Kwok said he wanted to set the record straight on some of the more exaggerated rumours in circulation. He referred to the Chief Executive's Policy Address in October where Mr Tung spoke of the need for continuous improvement in the way public services were delivered and managed, and of the need to better manage resources to maintain budgetary guidelines, keeping public spending growth in line with GDP.

Mr Kwok said these were laudable aims which we as members of the Force and community wholeheartedly supported.

He stressed these were "not an indication, as has been portrayed in some quarters, that there is something radically amiss with the civil service or that it is manned by incompetent or mediocre staff"

"Far from it," he said. "Integrity and quality service have been the ethos for which the civil service is held in high esteem internationally."

Mr Kwok said if we were to maintain our hard-won reputation, we had to prepare ourselves for the increasing and changing demands of the community.

"Modern technology has made many of our tasks easier and transformed the way and pace we work. It has also meant some of our skills are no longer as useful and we need to learn new ones to effectively perform our duties.

"In the Police we have seen very major changes in the last five years in the way we deliver our services and we can expect to benefit from many more over the next five years. Alongside this, many of us have seen improvements in our working environment in terms of both office accommodation and equipment."

Mr Kwok emphasised management had a responsibility for the stewardship of the public funds entrusted to it and needed to ensure resources allocated were properly used.

"We carry out reviews through regular monitoring of our Programme Plans," Mr Kwok said. "And this has enabled us to respond quickly and positively to the demands the government has made upon us in respect of the Enhanced Productivity Programme and also the need to contain the size of the civil service."

He referred to the Commissioner's plans delivered for consideration by government, which would release 1,027 disciplined and 973 civilian posts over the three-year period from April 1.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management) Tsang Yam-pui briefed the four staff associations saying every effort had been made to reduce the impact of the plans on promotion prospects and recruitment of disciplined staff.

He said most of the disciplined posts affected perform administrative, training and other non-operational functions. Thus the Force's frontline deployments would not be affected.

Commenting on the proposed release of civilian posts, Mr Kwok said: "It will not result in a deterioration of support services to the Force to the detriment of the quality of service to the public.

"These plans are being considered within Government and the Force will be notified whether or not they have been accepted, probably by July.

"The plans have been drawn up strictly in accordance with government guidelines which do not require any consideration of whether or not the proposals result in a surplus of manpower to be taken into account.

"This does not imply that an officer in a post which can be deleted will be made redundant. It has been made clear both by the Secretary for the Civil Service and by Force management that it is not the intention to make staff compulsorily redundant."



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