The Executive Council has reviewed draft bills on the ranks and grades of civil servants and the ‘General rules for bureau directors, department heads, division chiefs and supervisors’. The two draft bills will be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for further discussion soon. The new ranks and grades scheme will apply to all civil servants with permanent tenure and contract staff. The draft bill proposed an increase in the number of salary scales to provide more incentive to staff that have reached the highest levels in their promotion path. The recruitment and promotion of civil servants would be centralised, to enhance management. According to the draft bill of ‘General rules for bureau directors, department heads, division chiefs and supervisors’, these officials are prohibited from working for the private sector within six months after the termination of their contracts. But they could apply for exemption to the Chief Executive, who is responsible for making a decision after consulting with a designated committee. If the application is turned down, the applicant is eligible for a compensation of six months’ salary. The draft bill also proposed an allowance for bureau directors, department heads, division chiefs, and supervisors, which varies from 15 to 20 per cent of their salary. It also proposed the setting up of an enhanced programme to evaluate the performance of officials.
