may be one of Donald Tsang's purposes of coming here is to see
first hand how our market-competitive salaried admin works:
Hong Kong:
'Singapore's good, but..'
It will not follow its policies, especially its market-rate
government salaries, says chief executive.
Michael Ng HK Standard.
Jul 18, 2006
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said Monday there was much to
be admired about the way the Singapore government went about its
business.
But he stressed that Hong Kong would have to establish its own
model of governance and could not blindly follow the
city-state.
He was speaking at the end of a three-day visit during which he met
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Goh Chok
Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
Tsang also reaffirmed that now was the time for Hong Kong
politicians and interested groups to come forward with concrete
proposals for the introduction of universal suffrage.
Tsang said he was amazed by the Singapore government's efficiency
in implementing its policies.
"In Singapore, the transition from the policy stage to its
implementation is done swiftly and efficiently," he said.
He said there was much Hong Kong could learn from Singapore's
experience, though this did not mean following blindly.
"We should not seclude ourselves from the outside world. But we
also need to act in a pragmatic manner and have the will and
courage to implement our own policies," he said.
"However, I do not have any intention to copy Singapore's policy
directives as the SAR has its own specialities and merits that need
to be addressed."
One of the examples he cited was the market-competitive salaries
offered by the Singapore government to lure talented people into
the administration.
"When they were trying to attract talented people from the business
sector and from non-government organisations, the difficulties
faced by the Singapore government were quite different when
compared with those of the SAR.
"The salary gap between the business and political sectors was not
as enormous there as it is in Hong Kong."
Tsang also said he had no intention of raising salary levels for
civil servants and politically appointed officials in Hong
Kong.
Tsang, who also spent 45 minutes with Teo Chee Hean, second
assistant secretary-general at Singapore's ruling People's Action
Party, said he was also impressed with the way the city-state's
government groomed political talent.
"I was told the ruling party is now recruiting talented people who
were born after Singapore's independence in 1965. This shows a
long-term vision to political continuity and stability," he
said.
Asked whether he would follow Singapore in establishing a
democratic base to serve as a foundation for effective governance
in Hong Kong, Tsang said that while both places shared a similar
legal system, there were still differences in values and the degree
of freedom in the two cities.
But, in answer to both former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang
On-sang, who said she hoped the SAR government could offer a
definite date for the introduction of universal suffrage, and
former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who said the
prerequisites for universal suffrage were inadequate, Tsang said
parties, political groups and others who wished to express opinions
should make detailed proposals.
"We should use the coming months to raise detailed proposals. I'm
very pleased to address every proposal raised by politicians. This
can also offer more choices to the people," he said.
He said a government committee was now working on the best way for
Hong Kong to become fully democratic. The proposal should be
finished next year and he will try to get it approved by lawmakers
and by Beijing.
On the proposed goods and services tax, he stressed public views
would not be ignored and that it will not be imposed should there
be strong opposition.
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_print.asp?art_id=23104&sid=8890532