The letters were signed by individual officers and called on the Acting Chairman of the SCDS, Mr Barry Cheung, to ensure a solution to the ongoing pay dispute with the Administration by making long term recommendations as part of the ongoing Grade Structure Review (GSR). JPOA Chairman, Station Sergeant Chung Kam-wa gave a briefing to the press on the problems faced by the Staff Side and stressed that it had been 20 years since the last full review of the Police grade.

The Force Management and PFC SS have made lengthy submissions to the SCDS over the last year, after the Secretary for Civil Service commissioned the GSR in October 2007. They see a need to make sure the "special factor" component of police pay is properly recognised at all ranks.

The special factors include the unique position and role of the Force in Hong Kong, professional knowledge and skills, risks and hardship when performing duties, disruptions to and restrictions on personal lives, and of course the discipline and accountability to which all officers are subject. The Force is now operating in an extremely challenging legal, social, economic and political climate and it is time for the PPS structure to properly reflect the significant developments in the nature and complexity of police work that have taken place in the last 20 years.

Officers who have yet to sign a letter expressing their opposition to any short term fix to the pay problem are welcome to send the letters to EO SSS PFC SR for forwarding to the SCDS. The letters can be found on the Force NoticeBoard on POINT.

(Published on behalf of the staff side of the Police Force Council)

Chairmen of the four staff associations deliver letters of petition to the SCDS