Retirement rules anger civil service elite
The civil service's elite administrative officers have added their voices to those opposing a plan to tighten restrictions on post-retirement employment, saying it was unfair and would undermine some of Hong Kong's core values.
They fear the civil service will no longer be able to attract and retain talented staff if their right to a second career is unreasonably curbed.
Secretary for the Civil Service Joseph Wong Wing-ping said he would consider their views, but stressed the interests of the community as a whole outweighed those of civil servants.
The Administrative Service Association is the latest civil service group to speak out against the move to tighten restrictions, which followed the controversy over former deputy housing director Elaine Chung Lai-kwok's job with a Henderson Land affiliate.
Ms Chung was found to have promoted the developer's tender for the West Kowloon Cultural District despite having had approval to work only for Hong Kong Ferry.
The government subsequently said it was considering extending from six months to a year the period during which retiring officials of directorate rank may not take up employment. It also said it would make public the job approvals granted to retired civil servants.
Administrative officers and other senior civil servants will be hit the hardest by the new rules, to be implemented this year after consultation with staff groups.
Administrative Service Association former chairwoman Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai said any changes should not contravene the principles of fairness, freedom and making the best use of one's talents.
'We agree that we have to consider the interests of the community. We are not just fighting for our own interests. It's not good for Hong Kong's image if these core values are undermined,' she said.
The Senior Government Officers' Association reiterated that there was no need for more restrictions. 'Strengthening the vetting of applications for post-retirement jobs will be sufficient,' said chairman Peter Chan Pak-fong.
