Newsletter No. 4
To All Members
I. Pension Payment Issues
1. It was widely reported in the press on 23rd and 24th of May 2005 that pension remunerations for retired civil servants had been paid out in excess in the region of over $10 billion, because all along the current practice has it that pension payments are increased on inflation but never reduced on deflation.
2. In the press release, it was also indicated that although this year serving civil servants were subjected to a pay cut for the second time, pension payments for over 70,000 retired civil servants were not reduced over the last five years despite repeated deflations registered.
3. Concurrently, it is learned that the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) is about to submit a proposal to the Executive Council to increase pension payment by 0.47% across the board, taking effect retrospectively from 1 April this year in order to take account of the inflation over the previous year.
4. According to the press report, the proposal in paragraph 3 above as well as the existing pension policy was severely criticized by the Hong Kong Human Resources Management Association (HRMA) as one being long outdated introduced at a time of blooming economy, which however had since retarded until recently. It was therefore about time, the HRMA suggested, for the Government to take it up with both serving and retired civil servants over the feasibility of introducing a reshuffled plan to replace the existing pension system, which was considered very expensive and barely reflective of neither the individual performances prior to retirement nor the overall economic viability of both Government and the community. One possible option was, as suggested, to allow the existing pension adjustment mechanism to carry on further for a number of years before abolishment.
5. Although so far Government is not seen to have reacted officially to such press reports and comments, it is feared that any amendment to the existing pension law would have bearing on our members¡¦ monthly take-home pension. For this reason, FISSA has lost no time in taking steps to liaise and discuss with other fellow retired civil servants associations about this matter and at the same time gather all relevant data to prepare to react promptly to any future proposals that might do pensioners injustice at the expense of their legitimate pension and/or other fringe benefits.
6. In response to a verbal question from a Council Member at the Legislative Council Meeting on 8 June 2005 as to whether the Government would consider taking steps to review the existing pension system and amend the relevant laws in order to put in place a pension adjustment mechanism which would allow an increase on inflation and a reduction on deflation, the Financial Secretary replied accordingly, ¡§Since 1993, it is stipulated in the law that the existing provisions and mechanism which govern the increase of pension/death gratuity payments [that is, the percentage increase in any given fiscal year is based on the year-on % increase of the average monthly Consumer Price Index (for Category A commodities) over that of the preceding year] would remain unchanged and that the Government has no intention whatsoever to review or alter the existing law or arrangements on pension increase.¡¨ With this clarification, the matter is to be laid at rest sine die.
II. Rebate of Fees for medicines, consultation and related medical equipments/services
7. In the event that public hospitals or clinics operating under the auspices of the Hospital Authority (HA) are unable to provide medicines, equipments or medical services prescribed by duty medical officers, civil servant patients (including retirees) and other eligible personalities may apply for a rebate of the expenses incurred in the acquirement of such medicines, equipments or services.
8. Applications for rebate of expenses in paragraph 7 above must contain all detailed data relevant to the treatment plus (a) a written certification from the HA¡¦s duty medical officer; (b) expenses certification (ie bills and receipts); and (c) eligibility certification ( ie TRY 447). With regard to purchase of medical equipments, rebate would, on production of the necessary documentations, cover only expenses for the very basic type of models unless otherwise prescribed by the HA¡¦s duty medical officer. All applications may be addressed to the Director of Health (Attention: Senior Accounting Officer of the Financial Section, HQ) at No. 213, Queen¡¦s Road East, Wu Chung Building, 17/F, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Application forms may be obtainable by downloading from the ¡¥retired civil servants column¡¦ at http://www.csb.gov.hk/. Enquiries may be directed to the aforesaid mailing address or telephone 2961 8612.
9. On the other hand, the CSB has recently undertaken a review of the rebate system as prescribed in paragraph 7 above and is now consulting the Civil Servants Medical and Dental Treatment Standing Committee on preliminary recommendations (PR). As the review might have a significant impact on the existing rebate system, FISSA has been in close contact with the Hong Kong Former Senior Civil Servants Association, the Hong Kong Retired Civil Servants Welfare Association and other related staff associations to garner their views and comments for onward transmission to the CSB for due consideration.
10. In his reply letter to the Hong Kong Retired Civil Servants Welfare Association, the Secretary for Civil Service had stressed that the existing rebate arrangement as prescribed in 7 above would continue to apply. The preliminary recommendations resulting from the CSB¡¦s review were not meant to cut expenses but merely to ensure that the rebate funds were to be put to optimum use for the benefit of all civil servants and other personalities who were eligible.
11. Members who wish to have sight of CSB¡¦s recommendations referred to above may do so by visiting our website on http://hk.geocities.com/fissaimm/. Hard copies are also available upon request through fax or mail as received.
III. FISSA Updating
Investment
12. Our ¡§investment sub-committee¡¨ is actively looking into various investment strategies with a view to investing a portion of our donations to bring about some profits to offset recurrent expenses.
FISSA Office
13. FISSA wishes to take this opportunity of thanking once again Mr Choy Hui-hong for letting FISSA operate its office in a property unit in SSP district. Refurbishment of the unit is in progress and the expenses incurred together with other expenditure items for computer and office equipment etc would be met from a generous donation of $50,000 also from Mr Choy.
IV. FISSA Activities
Evening Stoll on Lamma
14. Following the visit to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum on 1 June, FISSA will resume holding outdoor activities in July. The July activity provides a good opportunity to stroll leisurely on Lamma to enjoy the hours of dusk followed up by the service of delicious sea food cuisine in a restaurant. Please see Appendix attached for details (Activity No. 4)
15. FISSA will soon post on our website the activities organized by the Immigration Volunteer Work Team. Members may pick and participate in activities of their own choice. The coming event, hosted by the CSD Volunteers Team, is the ¡§Discipline Services Tree Plantation in Lantau¡¨ to be held at Tung Chung from 0900 till 1230 hours on 25 June 2005. The Assembly Point will be at Tung Chung MTR Station Exit B. The objectives are to promote environmental protection and volunteer service. To enroll, please contact Mr Wong Chun-sing of the Immigration Department Volunteer Team on 91023713 or email to [email protected].
Golf
16. In consultation with the Immigration Department Golf Club (IDGC), it has now been agreed that FISSA members may be arranged to join the Club as Associate Members at an annual fee of $100. Members who take interest in golf playing may telephone our secretary Mr Law Yiu-tung on 9054 9344 for enquiries. Application forms may be obtainable through mail, fax or emailing.
Badminton and Luncheon
17. Badminton courts for practicing have been reserved for the use of FISSA members at the Disciplined Services Sports and Recreation Club at Causeway Bay. These are available on all Tuesdays (from 10 am to noon) and Fridays (from 11 am to 1 pm). The charge is $20 per person per playing session. Members who are interested may contact our secretary Mr Wong Shiu-pui on 9196 8303. Lunch is also served at the Chinese restaurant at the above Club premises (at 12:30 pm on Tuesdays) for members who wish to socialize with their friends and fellow colleagues.
V. Members¡¦ Privileges
18. Details of retail outlets (such as Ching Mei / Janfield Records Company, Happy Sound Music Limited, Wines Unlimited and Dr Cheung Kwok-kwong, Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology etc which provide privileges or discounts to members are all contained in the FISSA website for members¡¦ viewing.
19. Cracking News: Nice tasty red and white wines are available at Wines Unlimited at only $68 - $185 per bottle. From now till 18 October 2005, purchases each exceeding $800, $1,500 and $3,000 shall be gifted with gorgeous items such as professional wine openers, crystal wine glasses etc valued from $108, $218 and $468 respectively. Free door-to-door delivery service shall be provided for a purchase of 6 or more bottles of wine on each occasion. For details, please contact Mr Sydney Cunningham on 91931188.
20. FISSA continues to contact various other retail outlets for the sake of fishing better benefits. Members may contact any Executive Committee member of FISSA to forward their views and suggestions, if any.
VI. How to Contact HKFISSA
21. Members who wish to make enquiries or comments may contact us by:
>l mailing to P. O. Box 25823, Harbour Building Post Office;
>l faxing to (852) 23671671;
>l emailing to [email protected]; or
>l visiting our HKFISSA Website at http://hk.geocities.com/fissaimm/.
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Patrick Pang Kue-chuen
President
HKFISSA
June 2005