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In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department said today (Friday):

"Staffing arrangements relating to the reorganisation of municipal services have completed and all civil servants serving at the two municipal services departments will be deployed according to their functions to the soon-to-be-set-up Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to continue their service.

"For staff employed on a contract basis, the two municipal services departments had on December 20 briefed them on the detailed arrangements for their continued employment at the new departments.

"For temporary staff and staff employed on non-civil service contracts, the two municipal services departments had written to them in the last few days, informing them that they could continue serving at the two new departments according to their existing contracts which straddled January 1, 2000.

"Temporary staff and staff employed on non-civil service contracts are outside the civil service establishment and are employed according to the actual operational needs. The two municipal services departments regularly review the manpower requirements with a view to achieving the efficient use of resources. Taking into account the impending restructuring of the two municipal services departments and the need to ensure continued normal operations and services to the public when the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department are set up on January 1, 2000, the Government has decided to continue employing those with an operational need for a period so that the two new departments can make arrangements according to actual requirements.

"A joint committee set up by some staff unions of the two municipal services departments has requested to meet Head of the Task Force on Reorganisation of Municipal Services and the task force had replied to them on December 17. If the staff unions or staff have any questions, they are welcome to make enquiries with the concerned departments."

End/Friday, December 24, 1999

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