Civil Service Newsletter July 2008 Issue No. 72 From strength to strength (This Newsletter is also available at the CSB website at http://www.csb.gov.hk) Published by the Civil Service Bureau Printed by the Government Logistics Department (Printed on paper made from woodpulp derived from sustainable forests) Contents Features Health ‘Tiger Crane’ outlook keeps 3 – 6 Light up lives — support organ donation 29 Financial Secretary focused Basic Law Civil servants reach out to earthquake victims 7 – 10 Enhancing Basic Law training in the civil service 30 Olympic Flame fi res Hong Kong spirit 11 – 12 Integrity Behind the Torch Relay 12 Managing contracts effi ciently — we can do it! 30 – 31 Expecting the best, preparing for the worst 13 – 14 Pensioners’ corner Keeping Hong Kong moving 15 34 years add up to impressive career 32 – 33 Ready for any emergency 16 – 17 for numbers man Keeping the lines of communication open 18 – 19 Pensioners’ outing 34 Promoting the people’s Olympics 20 – 21 Pension increase 2008 34 Th e Year of the Horse 22 Information Health fi rst for people and the environment 23 National budget brings better standard of living 35 Getting the Olympic stamp of approval 24 Senior staff on the move 35 Protecting the Olympic name 24 Reappointment of Chairman of 35 the Public Service Commission Management CE appoints Under Secretaries and 36 Th ink again before storing classifi ed 25 Political Assistants data on portable electronic devices News from Civil Service Bureau 36 Personalities Colleagues heralded in 2008 Honours List 37 10th Anniversary of Volunteer Movement 26 One family One heart — Volunteering Centre spread for a Harmonious Hong Kong Th e Olympic spirit 38 Close up Hong Kong Observatory wins 27 – 28 prestigious international award EDITORIAL BOARD Address: Th omas Chan Chun-yuen Evelyn Lai Suk-yi Staff Relations Division, Civil Service Bureau (Transport and Housing Bureau) (Civil Service Bureau) Room 706, 7/F, Main Wing, Mimi Lee Mei-mei Flora Li Chu Wai-hang Central Government Offi ces, (Civil Service Bureau) (Civil Service Bureau) Central, Hong Kong Fax no.: 2537 1112 Francis Chu Chan-pui Annie Ho Suet-ying (Civil Service Bureau) (Civil Service Bureau) For enquiries about this Newsletter, please call Judy Li Kwok Chi-kit Angela Leary 2810 3708. (Effi ciency Unit) (Freelance Editor) Website: http://www.csb.gov.hk Michael King (Information Services Department) Civil Service Bureau Pensioner Services Unit Enquiry no.: 2810 3850 Features ‘Tiger Crane’ outlook keeps Financial Secretary focused Civil Service Newsletter Editorial Board THERE is an almost Zen-like calm surrounding the man who holds the reins to Hong Kong’s fi nancial future. Given the pressure that comes from holding the job as Financial Secretary (FS), John Tsang Chun-wah’s steady, serene outlook is all the more impressive. This he puts for Hong Kong. “The resultant increase in the number of down to his many direct fl ights between Hong Kong and Indian cities as well as years of training triple-digit increases in our exports to India in the past few in fencing and the months are not mere accidents that just happened. Th ey are martial art of “tiger clear indications of the enhanced interest between Hong crane” kung fu. Kong and India,” he said. Both disciplines, he says, help develop Mr Tsang says one of Hong Kong’s big selling points is one’s determination its free-market economy, “Hong Kong is very open and there and power of is also our geographical advantage — we have the Mainland, Mr Tsang during his interview with the Civil Service concentration. “One our hinterland just to the north of our boundary.” Newsletter. can learn how to And it is not just Asia’s emerging economies that are on maintain a clear and Mr Tsang’s list. Recently he visited Central Europe. He sees calm mind when big two-way trade opportunities with this part of the world facing an opponent. When fencing, a moment’s distraction and later this year he will be visiting other emerging markets will give the opponent a chance to take advantage and attack. in South America to further explore opportunities. If one is anxious and too eager to launch attacks, one may be thrown off balance and expose his/her weaknesses, and as a “The Government’s role in this opening-up process is to result, be defeated,” Mr Tsang said. explain Hong Kong’s advantages to business leaders in these new markets, raise Th is strength of mind may serve Mr Tsang well, given the the profile of our global volatility and pressure facing Hong Kong’s economy. city and build closer Th e next Budget, he says, will defi nitely be more challenging international ties,” in light of a slowdown in growth of advanced economies in Mr Tsang said. “The Europe and the United States, financial turbulence and the rest is up to the global trend of rising infl ation. business community. “I am particularly concerned about the impact of the With Government rising cost of living on the lower income group in our society. leading the way, I My priority will be to roll out more measures to help tide hope that the private them over,” Mr Tsang said. sector will find it easier to do their jobs Business opportunities more eff ectively. Th is Mr Tsang says he will be placing much emphasis on Speaking at the Closer Economic Partnership is a modality that the creation of business opportunities. “I will step up our Arrangement Supplement IV Business Forum. seems to work and I outreach to the emerging economies and strengthen our will continue to build international ties. In the past few months, we have led on our successes.” delegations from diff erent sectors to Russia, Vietnam, India External challenges and the Middle East.” Th e FS says that from a longer term outlook, his biggest He says the business delegation he led to India last challenge will come from the external front. “Hong Kong will December was a good example of how actively engaging face increasing competition brought by globalisation and the such burgeoning economies could result in great benefits emerging regional economies.” he said. 3 Features “In Hong Kong, which is a market economy, changes in prices are part and parcel of the adjustment mechanism to balance demand and supply. Yet we will do all we can to mitigate the inflationary pressure. For example, we will continue our communications with the Mainland authorities to ensure a stable supply of food for Hong Kong, ensure effective market competition at the import and retail levels so that consumers can enjoy a wider range of product choices at competitive prices, and provide adequate land to meet market demand in order to ease the upward pressure on property rentals and prices. Also important is to increase the productivity of the economy to contain the Presenting souvenir to the Governor of the Bank of Slovenia, Dr Marko Kranjec, during a round of top-level meetings cost pressure. with government offi cials and business leaders in the Slovenia in May. “We are particularly concerned with the impact of inflation on the lower-income families and the underprivileged. The various measures announced in the 2008-09 Budget will help alleviate “Meanwhile, the rapid development and progress of to some extent the impact of infl ation on these people and also Mainland cities will also bring more competition to Hong push down somewhat the infl ation rate,” Mr Tsang said. Kong. With the increasing modernisation of the Mainland’s financial system and the development of other financial Boost for construction centres there, Hong Kong’s comparative advantage in In his February Budget Speech, Mr Tsang estimated Mainland-related intermediation may narrow. To maintain the Government would spend around $21.8 billion on its long-standing position as an international financial hub, new infrastructure in Hong Kong must strengthen and expand its customer base the next fiscal year and for fi nancial services in the region,” he added. this, he says, is expected Mr Tsang says to meet the challenge from increasing to create about 27,000 competition, Hong Kong must also maintain and promote its construction jobs. “This role as an international cosmopolitan city while continuing should help the recovery of the integration with the Mainland economy, facilitating the construction industry, business activities, encouraging creative ideas and promoting which has been rather the use of technology. “Global competition is ultimately sluggish for some years. a competition for talent,” he said. “The Government will “More importantly, continue to invest heavily in education and retraining as well we have to look beyond as create more favourable conditions to attract talent from 2008-09. Over the next few around the world.” years, we will vigorously Keeping infl ation in check implement various infrastructure projects, Inflation is another problem Hong Kong is facing as a including the 10 major result of global conditions. “Th e building-up of infl ationary projects announced by pressure is mainly due to the rising food and energy prices the Chief Executive in last in the international markets as well as the strong economic year’s Policy Address. Th e construction of these projects will expansion over the past four years or so,” Mr Tsang said. create a lot of job opportunities for construction workers and “Indeed, this is a global phenomenon, as inflationary help improve their livelihoods. pressures are increasing around the world. 4 Features “When completed, these infrastructure projects will there was no time to waste. “When you focus on the common enhance the connectivity of Hong Kong with the Mainland goal, it becomes much easier to concentrate on the work and and the rest of the world, enrich our cultural life, create new maintain the discipline despite the gruelling hours.” development opportunities, consolidate our status as a global city and lay a new foundation for our sustainable development,” Mr Tsang said.