HONG KONG: The government yesterday approved the three Graded Structure Review (GSR) reports related to the seven disciplined forces, directorate staff and two selected civilian staff grades (government lawyers and veterinary officers).

For the disciplined forces and directorate officers, all staff are granted an additional increment above their maximum salary point as proposed by the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service.

For police sergeants in particular, they are granted two increments - one more than the standing committee proposed.

Subject to Legislative Council approval, the pay increases are retroactive to April, 1, 2009. They will cost about HK$785 million and some 80 percent of the listed 52,000 disciplined services officers will benefit from the pay adjustment.

The Executive Council (ExCo) yesterday endorsed the three GSR reports, which were submitted to the government on November 27 last year, but which were set aside in the wake of the financial crisis.

In announcing the ExCo's decision, Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue said the decision took into consideration a number of factors, including the current financial situation, staff claims and voices of the community.

The decision is fair and reasonable and in no way does the government yield to any section of the civil servants, she said in response to the street action of police officers against the likely civil service pay cut and the belated GSR reports that almost were completed in June this year.

For the time being, the salary range of constables is from point 3 to point 14, while that for police sergeant is point 14 to 22. Under the new arrangement, the maximum point of ordinary constables is raised to point 15 and that for police sergeants will rise to point 24.

The pay difference between constables and sergeants will raise the morale of sergeants and also increase the constables' incentives to seek promotion.

Disciplined officers who retired between November 37, 2008 and March 31 this year will also benefit from the increased increments. There are about 370 people in this category.

Ngai Sik-shui, chairman of Disciplined Services Consultative Council, said the increase of the maximum salary point is acceptable. He was also satisfied that the arrangement also covered officers who retired during the period of November 28 last year and March 31 this year.

However, he was disappointed that the government did not respond to their objective of standardized pay for all the disciplined forces, but added that he would continue to fight towards that goal.

Chung Kam-wa, chairman of Junior Police Officers Association, criticized the GSR report as less than comprehensive because it failed to recognize the uniqueness of the police force. He was also very disappointed that the pay adjustment was not backdated to November 2008, when the reports were submitted to the government.

Saying that they never want to take to the street as the way to express their views, he said they will continue to make their voices heard through the standing committee.

(HK Edition 10/21/2009 page1)