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Applicants for the second Voluntary Retirement (VR) Scheme will be informed of the results of their applications next Thursday (July 24).

The Government launched in March this year the VR Scheme to enable civil servants in specified ranks and streams of 229 designated grades where there is identified or anticipated staff surplus to retire voluntarily from the civil service with ex-gratia compensatory payment and immediate pension benefits.

Upon the close of the VR application period on May 20, 5,961 applications were received, of which 5,825 were from eligible applicants. About 200 applicants have since withdrawn their applications.

Heads of Departments/Grades have now completed processing of all valid applications and VR applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications next Thursday (July 24).

A spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau said today (July 17). "The vast majority of the VR applications, about 5,500 will be approved.

"In approving the applications and deciding on the timing of departure of the VR applicants, Heads of Departments/Grades will ensure that the provision and quality of service to the public as well as the operation of the departments will not be adversely affected.

"Most of the VR takers will be released within one year" he said.

End/Thursday, July 17, 2003

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