Dear Colleagues,

2004 & 2005 Civil Service Pay Adjustments

I write to inform you that the Public Officers Pay Adjustments (2004/2005) Bill was passed by the Legislative Council yesterday.  The legislation, which will be published in the Gazette on 19 December 2003, serves to implement the decision made by the Chief Executive in Council this February to restore the pay pertaining to each pay point on the civil service pay scales to the level it was at, in dollar terms, on 30 June 1997.

In accordance with the legislation, the pay pertaining to each pay point below Directorate Pay Scale Point 3 (D3) or equivalent will be restored to the level it was at on 30 June 1997 by two adjustments of broadly the same amount to be implemented from 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2005 respectively.  The pay pertaining to each pay point at D3 and above or equivalent will be restored to the level it was at on 30 June 1997 from 1 January 2004.  You may find the pay scales as adjusted from 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2005 respectively on the Civil Service Bureau homepage at http://www.csb.gov.hk.

The pay adjustments to be implemented in 2004 and 2005 reflect the consensus proposal which I reached with the staff representatives earlier this year.  I believe they have balanced the concerns of civil servants with the overall interest of the community.

Yours sincerely,

(Joseph W P Wong)
Secretary for the Civil Service