雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL has accepted the recommendation of an independent commission and is to revise upwards the remuneration of Directors of Bureaux under the accountability system by 12.4 per cent next July. A new mechanism has also been adopted, under which the remuneration of politically appointed officials will be adjusted in line with inflation starting from next term of government.

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行政會議接納獨立委員會建議，明年7月起上調問責局長薪酬12.4%，並訂立機制，由下屆政府開始，按通脹調整每年問責官員薪酬。

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A review of the remuneration of politically appointed officials has become part of the routine before a new government is sworn in. Under the new proposal, not only will the remuneration of Directors of Bureaux be adjusted upwards by 12.4 per cent, but that of Secretaries of Departments and Under Secretaries will also be adjusted, and they will have a salary rise of around $20,000 to $40,000. The salary gap between Secretaries of Departments and Directors of Bureaux is held at 3.5 per cent, while the salaries of Under Secretaries are about 65 to 75 per cent of those of Directors of Bureaux. As can be calculated, the Chief Secretary for Administration's monthly salary of around $330,000 at present will soar over $370,000 after the rise. Those of Under Secretaries, around $190,000 to $220,000 at the moment, will rise to around $210,000 to $250,000. Lawmakers from non-establishment and pro-establishment camps alike have voiced reservations about the plan.

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檢討問責官員薪酬待遇，成了政府換屆前的慣例。根據新方案，除局長薪酬調高12.4%，各司長與副局長亦同步調整薪酬，平均加薪約2萬至4萬元，司長與局長的薪酬差距維持現時3.5%水平，副局長薪酬定在局長薪酬的65%至75%。按推算，目前月薪約33萬元的政務司長，加薪後超過37萬元；局長月薪近30萬元，加薪後達33.5萬元；副局長現月薪約19萬至22萬元，加薪後達約21萬至25萬元。非建制派和建制派議員對此皆有保留。

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Raymond Tam, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, has stressed that as the remuneration of politically appointed officials remains at 2002 levels, the adjustment is "justified". This explanation might be plausible technically. But we are afraid that this is not what citizens generally think. In 2009, in response to the financial crisis, politically appointed officials took a 5.38% salary cut of their own accord, as senior civil servants faced a similar rate of salary reduction. In 2012, an independent commission recommended an 8.1% salary rise for Secretaries of Departments and Directors of Bureaux. But the Legislative Council was against it. At last Leung Chun-ying announced that their salaries would be frozen and scrapped the salary rise plan. It was not until last year that the salaries of politically appointed officials were "defrosted" and "returned to 2002 levels". But the public saw it as a salary rise of 5.38 per cent. Now the government has proposed raising the salaries of Directors of Bureaux by more than 10 per cent. This has left the public with the impression of "two substantial salary rises in two years". Their opposition is understandable.

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政制及內地事務局長譚志源稱，現時問責官員薪酬仍維持在2002年水平，強調今次薪酬調整「合理」。此說法技術上也許成立，但恐怕不是市民普遍觀感。2009年，特區問責官員因應金融海嘯，自願減薪5.38%，與當年高級公務員減薪幅度相若。2012年，獨立委員會建議司長局長加薪8.1%，立法會反對，結果梁振英宣布「凍薪」，擱置加薪計劃。直至去年，政府「解凍」問責官員薪酬，「重回2002年水平」，但看在市民眼裏，實為變相加薪5.38%。今次政府提出上調局長薪酬逾一成，市民的觀感是「兩年兩度顯著加薪」，出現牴觸情緒，可以理解。

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The public's impression aside, the SAR's politically appointed officials enjoy a relatively high level of remuneration (though not as high as that in Singapore) when compared to the rest of the world. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew receive only US$17,141 (HK$133,700) every month, which is only 40 per cent or so of the salary of a SAR Director of Bureau. Hong Kong society used to believe that high salary ensures clean government. However, former Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael Hui's involvement in corruption cases has severely shaken such a belief. It should be reconsidered at what level the remuneration of politically appointed officials should be set.

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撇開市民觀感不談，特區問責官員薪金水平雖不及新加坡，但放諸國際社會，算得上偏高。美國國務卿克里和財政部長杰克盧，每月薪金不過是17,141美元（13.37萬港元），只及特區局長薪酬四成多。香港過去一直信奉高薪養廉，惟前政務司長許仕仁捲入貪腐等案件，已重挫這個說法。問責官員薪酬水平應如何釐定，值得重新思考。

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The incumbent government has had great difficulty attracting people of high ability. The reason, however, is not that the remuneration is not high enough. It is because we are in a highly divided and partisan society in which there is no lack of political arguments. Everything is politicalised and rational discussion is ignored. Complicating matters is the fact that the Chief Executive is elected in a "small-circle" election and lacks a mandate to act. Very often politically appointed officials become the lightning rod for criticism, making capable people unwilling to join the government, regarded as the "hot kitchen". This affects the ability of the SAR's governance team to administer Hong Kong. Poor administration in turn leads to more criticism of the government. The vicious cycle is the dilemma faced by the SAR government.

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當前特區政府延攬人才困難重重，問題不在於薪酬不夠高，而在於社會撕裂，黨同伐異，政治紛爭不休，事事政治化，理性討論擱一旁，加上特首由小圈子選舉產生，認受性不足，結果問責官員常淪為箭靶，令有能者卻步，不願加入政府這個熱廚房，影響特區政府團隊的管治能力。施政不周，倒過來又令政府遭受更多責難，形成惡性循環，這才是特區政府當前的困局。

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明報社評2016.12.15

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Kimberly Tao

Lecturer

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/language_communication/KWOK,_Tony_Chun-tung-111.html

冒晟

講師

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/language_communication/QIU,_Tina_Wei-367.html

【Bilingual Editorial】