Manpower proposal endorsed by LegCo
By Joseph Li (HK Edition)

The Legislative Council Establishment Subcommittee (ESC) yesterday endorsed the manpower proposal for reorganization of policy bureaus of the government with effect from July 1, 2007.

The proposal, to be submitted to the Finance Committee for approval in early June, is crucial for the reorganization of the new-term government.

The proposal comprises a non-civil service post as head of the new Labour and Welfare Bureau with a monthly pay of HK$298,115 plus an administrative assistant at director grade 2 level. It has also been proposed that the employment terms of the post of Director of the Chief Executive's Office (DCEO) will be improved in line with the policy bureau ministers.

The Federation of Trade Unions' Wong Kwok-hing said that he was happy with the creation of a new Labour and Welfare Bureau that changes the current situation of having the labour and economic development portfolios in one bureau.

However, he noted that at present, the permanent secretary and labour commissioner posts are being held by a senior civil servant at D8 level but under the new structure, the permanent secretary will handle double portfolios although he will be assisted by the labour commissioner at D6.

"In our view, the labor commissioner is downgraded and we wonder if the government is not attaching great importance to labour issues," he said.

The Democratic Party's Yeung Sum noted that subcommittee has just been formed under the House Committee to examine the resolution involving transfer of statutory powers of the reorganization. He wondered if the proposal before the ESC yesterday was too early.

Yeung also did not agree to raise the employment terms of the DCEO in line with the bureau ministers because their work and responsibility are heavier.

Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue said there was no room for her to link the permanent secretary for the labour portfolio only to D8. "In this regard, we have obtained resources from other bureaus to reinstate the labour commissioner post at D6 level," she explained.

In reply to Yeung's remark, she said the government hoped to 'walk on two legs' by seeking approval for the manpower plan at the same time having the resolution examined by a subcommittee.

As for the post of DCEO, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam said the position of chief of staff for the Chief Executive carries heavy responsibility for co-coordinating with the policy bureaus and parties. It is also hoped that the job holder and the 12 other bureau ministers, form the core of the cabinet and can rotate with one another.

(HK Edition 05/23/2007 page6)