EC(97-98)69
For discussion
on 12 February 1998


ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF
FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 151 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT : SECURITY BUREAU
Subhead 001 Salaries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the creation of the following supernumerary posts in the Security Bureau of the Government Secretariat up to 31 March 2001 -

1 Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police
(PPS 57) ($127,900 - $135,550)

1 Senior Principal Executive Officer
(D2) ($110,000 - $116,800)

PROBLEM

The Aviation Security Company Limited (AVSECO) requires the service of experienced senior civil servants to fill its General Manager and Deputy General Manager posts. We need to create supernumerary posts to facilitate the secondment of suitable officers to AVSECO.

PROPOSAL

2. The Secretary for Security proposes to create one supernumerary post each of Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (PPS 57) and Senior Principal Executive Officer (D2) up to 31 March 2001 to allow for the secondment of civil servants to AVSECO as General Manager and Deputy General Manager respectively.

JUSTIFICATION

3. With the enactment of the Aviation Security Ordinance and the issue of the Hong Kong Aviation Security Programme (HKASP) in 1996, we have established a statutory framework to monitor aviation security in Hong Kong, especially in relation to the development of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok (CLK). The HKASP provides guidelines and standards for protecting and safeguarding aircraft, passengers, crews and the general public against any acts of unlawful interference. Airport and airline operators, airport tenants and other operators whose activities may impinge on aviation security are responsible under the HKASP to develop measures that meet the requirements of the HKASP.

4. In respect of the Hong Kong International Airport at CLK, the Airport Authority (AA), as the airport manager, has decided to deliver its obligations under the HKASP through a subsidiary company which will provide comprehensive aviation security services at the new airport. To maintain the integrity of the security control system at CLK, the subsidiary will also provide security services for airport tenants whose premises share an interface with the airport restricted areas, such as the Air Mail Centre, the cargo terminals, etc.

5. Against this background, a private company entitled AVSECO was established formally in December 1997 as a subsidiary of the AA. We have agreed with the AA to appoint those senior Government officials responsible for aviation security or civil aviation in Hong Kong to sit on AVSECO's board of directors to oversee the effective provision of security services by its subsidiary in compliance with the requirements under the HKASP. There are also non-government directors appointed by the AA in its capacity as the parent company. Organisationally, the AVSECO will comprise some 2 000 security personnel headed by a General Manager. The latter is underpinned by a Deputy General Manager who in turn is assisted by four Assistant General Managers responsible for operational matters and administration and training matters. We set out the organisation chart of AVSECO at Enclosure 1.

6. To ensure that the new set-up starts with the security expertise and operational experience available in the Government, we shall second two directorate officers with experience in airport security or management to AVSECO as follows -

  1. a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (PPS 57) to fill the General Manager post; and

  2. a Senior Principal Executive Officer (D2) to fill the Deputy General Manager post.

To support the two directorate posts in operational matters, we shall also second a Senior Superintendent of Police (PPS 52-54) and a Senior Superintendent of Customs and Excise (GDS(O) 36-38) to fill the two Assistant General Manager (Operations) posts.

7. We consider that the two top management posts of AVSECO, i.e. the General Manager and the Deputy General Manager, should be filled by a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police and a Senior Principal Executive Officer respectively. The former possesses the requisite airport security and law enforcement experience required for the provision of aviation security services. The latter, with his experience in administrative functions, will complement and provide necessary support to the General Manager in looking after the personnel, finance and administration issues. Combination of the two experienced officers should provide the necessary management expertise to steer the new company through its establishment and operational stages which include, among others, recruitment and training/retraining of some 2 000 security personnel, setting up the security systems and control schemes required for its effective operations, familiarising and implementing business plans and financial control mechanism to ensure cost-effective services for its business partners including AA, airline operators and airport tenants, monitoring and auditing of its services to ensure full compliance with the HKASP. The secondment will be for a period of about three years up to 31 March 2001 in order to allow the secondees sufficient time to contribute towards guiding the new company in fulfilling and developing its public role to maturity, while ensuring that their career interests will not be jeopardised as a result of their being away from their main stream of work for too long. We shall recover the full staff costs and overhead charges of the secondments from AVSECO.

8. To support the two directorate posts, we shall create under delegated authority two non-directorate posts referred to in paragraph 6. Prior to the opening of the new airport on 6 July 1998, the secondees will take charge of the overall planning and implementation of AVSECO's operational programmes, particularly on staffing, training and operational line-up in compliance with the requirements under the HKASP. We shall review the need for extension of the secondment arrangement 12 months before the expiry of the proposed supernumerary posts in March 2001. We set out the main duties and responsibilities of the General Manager and Deputy General Manager posts at Enclosures 2 and 3 respectively.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

9. The additional notional annual salary cost of this proposal at MID-POINT is -

$

No. of Post



New supernumerary posts

2,941,200

2

10. The additional full annual average staff cost of the proposal, including salaries and staff on-cost, is $5,006,760. We will recover the full staff costs of the secondments from AVSECO.

11. We have included sufficient provision in the 1997-98 Estimates to meet the cost of this proposal.

12. This proposal has no direct consequence on the non-directorate establishment of Security Bureau.

CIVIL SERVICE BUREAU COMMENTS

13. The Civil Service Bureau considers that the proposed ranking and grading of the posts are appropriate.

ADVICE OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DISCIPLINED SERVICES SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

14. As the posts are proposed on a supernumerary basis, we shall report their creation, if approved, to the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service and the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service.


Security Bureau
January 1998

Enclosure 2 to EC(97-98)69

Job Description and Responsibilities for
the post of General Manager (Aviation Security Company Limited)
(Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police)

Rank

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police

Overall Role

The General Manager (Aviation Security Company Limited) (AVSECO) will ensure the effective implementation of AVSECO, subsidiary of the Airport Authority. He will concentrate on the effective management of AVSECO with a view to delivering all the required aviation security services at the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, in compliance with the Hong Kong Aviation Security Programme prescribed by the Secretary for Security as the Aviation Security Authority.

Specific Responsibilities

  1. Responsible for the overall strategic planning and implementation of the subsidiary company to ensure that it could be fully functional to meet airport operations readiness.

  2. To review the organisation and staffing structure of the subsidiary taking into account the various aviation security functions to be taken up and the specific operational requirements from respective clients.

  3. To take charge of the company's business plan for agreement by the parent company which includes introducing new and/or improved services in line with changing standards and requirements laid down by the Aviation Security Authority, conducting corresponding negotiations with the service users on scope of services and scale of charges, etc.

  4. To ensure that the various security programmes and operations manual required under the Hong Kong Aviation Security Programme were drawn up properly and approved by the Authority before the full operation of the company.

  5. To represent the company in its discussions and negotiations with major aviation security service users.

Enclosure 3 to EC(97-98)69

Job Description and Responsibilities for
the post of Deputy General Manager (Aviation Security Company Limited)
(Senior Principal Executive Officer)

Rank

Senior Principal Executive Officer

Overall Role

The Deputy General Manager (Aviation Security Company Limited) will be the deputy to the General Manager. He will ensure that effective administrative support is provided to the General Manager with particular regard to the staffing, financial and other administrative arrangements. He will also see that the service operations are cost effective and meet with users' requirements.

Specific Responsibilities

  1. To assist the General Manager in the planning and implementation of the subsidiary company.

  2. To ensure that the company meets all requirements for incorporation and on-going operations under the Companies Ordinance and other statutory requirements pertaining to the aviation security operations of the subsidiary.

  3. To take charge of the personnel, administration and finance functions of the subsidiary and ensure their proper establishment and operations.

  4. To advise on the organisation and staffing structure of the company, including development of human resources management policies and general terms and conditions of employment for its staff.

  5. To vet returns from other division heads and assist in drawing up the company's business plan.