THREE senior expatriates in the Government Information Services (GIS) have become the latest victims of the administration's localisation policy.
Mark Pinkstone, chief information officer (CIO) for overseas public relations, who joined the service nearly 18 years ago; police CIO Peter Randall, who joined 17 years ago, and Cindy Lockeyear, principal information officer (PIO) with the publishing sub-division, will all leave by the end of the year.
'You can say that the boom has been brought down on us,' Mr Pinkstone, said, adding that Jonathan Lange, a PIO within Mr Pinkstone's sub-division, was waiting to learn whether his contract would be renewed by the Public Service Commission.
Mr Pinkstone, who leaves in December, said he would have liked to have stayed with GIS longer but conceded that at 52 years old, three years short of the official retirement age, 'it is better to go sooner rather than later'.
He said he intended staying in Hong Kong because after 28 years in the territory, he regarded it as his home. 'I will be leaving the civil service at a crucial time in Hong Kong's development and I feel I can make a contribution from the private sector,' he added.
Expatriate CIOs earn between $56,980 and $65,645 a month with additional allowances for 'home' leave and their children's education. Both expatriate and local officers receive a housing allowance.
