The civil service establishment of Hong Kong has been reduced by 10 percent to around 177,700 over the past four years, according to Joseph W.P. Wong, secretary for the civil service of Hong Kong, Monday.
"Our target is to further reduce the establishment by 10 percent to about 160,000 by 2006/07 through a general recruitment freeze, the Second Voluntary Retirement Scheme and natural wastage," said Wong at the Finance Committee Special Meeting to examine the Estimates 2003/04 in the Legislative Council.
Wong said the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) will take initiatives to help reduce the government's public expenditure in the coming year.
Besides, reducing the civil service establishment, the CSB will implement the decision on civil service pay reduction.
"We aim to introduce the bill into the Legislative Council in May. With the full implementation of the civil service pay reduction, the government will save about HK$7 billion (US$897 million) annually on salary expenses and subsidies," he said.
Wong noted a clean and efficient civil service is one of the fundamental strengths of Hong Kong.
"My colleagues and I are committed to continuously improving the civil service management system so as to enable departments and the civil service to serve the public with better, faster and more economical results," he added.
(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2003)
