The former commissioner of police was permitted to draw wages from outside work while the government continued to pay his monthly salary.
The government is still insisting that he is not enjoying double benefits. This is not very convincing to the public. The government is always against its staff drawing double benefits, such as housing allowances. If the money involved this time was listed as 'housing allowance', I am sure it would overturn many previous convictions.
The government has declared publicly that another salary earned during pre-retirement leave is the right of civil servants. This will help many civil servants take the government to court in future.
Ordinary civil servants do not enjoy 360 days' accumulated leave, which is only allowed to expatriate staff or those at the top end of the directorate scale. This is why the normal six-month 'freeze' for retiring civil servants usually rules out the double-benefit problem. The public should know that the possibility of a double salary is limited to a privileged few. If the people are not happy with the government's explanation, it should change its regulation to ensure that all staff are not able to work during the salary-earning period.
Besides, there is a big question over why these well-paid officers are so keen to start work again shortly after retirement. They will not be short of money. Is it because their new employers want to make use of their government knowledge or contacts as soon as possible? Dreaming up a set of duties or a title with no conflict of interest for official approval is easy. The difficult part is the willingness and determination of the government to stamp out this malpractice.
RAYMOND CHAN, Causeway Bay
