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Following is the letter written by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, to all members of the civil service on the 2002 civil service pay adjustment:
Dear Colleagues,
I understand that our fellow colleagues are much concerned about the pay adjustment this year. I hope this letter will help to give you a better understanding of the Government's decision to reduce civil service pay and the legislative approach to implement the decision.
The bursting of the bubble economy and other external factors have brought about an economic restructuring and a general decline in the overall pay level in Hong Kong. Based on the net pay trend indicators obtained from the private sector pay trend survey, the Government has decided on a downward adjustment of civil service pay ranging from 1.58% to 4.42%. This decision has been made in strict accordance with the established mechanism agreed by civil servants. I appreciate that the majority of civil servants find the pay reduction acceptable and are willing to share the burden with the rest of the community.
As the employment contracts between the Government and the vast majority of serving civil servants do not contain a clear provision on reduction of pay, the legal advice has been that we have to implement the pay reduction decision by way of legislation, in order to avoid unnecessary disputes and litigation. I hope colleagues will understand that there is no other alternative to this legislative approach. I must stress that the Public Officers Pay Adjustment Bill is a piece of one-off legislation to cater specifically for the implementation of this year's civil service pay reduction, no more and no less. I can assure you that the Government has no plan or intention to use this Bill as a pretext for curtailing civil servants' pension benefits.
The Hong Kong Civil Service is a clean, diligent and professional workforce, which enjoys the trust of our fellow citizens and a high reputation. Since reunification, civil servants have made significant contributions to the implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" concept and to the maintaining of stability and prosperity in Hong Kong. Civil servants are partners of the Government and the community. In the days ahead, Hong Kong will have to face many challenges and we will continue to rely on the support and commitment of civil servants. The people of Hong Kong have high expectations of our civil service. I am confident that you will uphold the fine traditions of the civil service by continuing to pursue the overall interests of the community, to meet the demands and expectations of the community and to contribute to the future development of Hong Kong.
End/Friday, July 5, 2002
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