EC(97-98)29
For discussion
on 22 October 1997


ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF
FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 37 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Subhead 003 Recoverable salaries and allowances

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the retention of the following supernumerary post in the 1998-99 draft Estimates -

1 Principal Executive Officer
(D1)($92,650 - $98,300)

PROBLEM

The Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers (SARDA) has not been able to find a suitable person to fill the post of Executive Director.

PROPOSAL

2.We propose to retain a supernumerary post of Principal Executive Officer (PEO) for one more year from 1 April 1998 to facilitate the continued secondment of a PEO to SARDA as Executive Director.

JUSTIFICATION

3.SARDA has been unable to find a suitable candidate to fill its post of Executive Director from past recruitment exercises. The Executive Director is responsible to the Executive Committee of SARDA for advice on policy formulation, financial control, co-ordination of operation and implementation of policy decisions. This wide portfolio requires the Executive Director to possess extensive senior administrative experience, strong leadership abilities and a pro-active approach towards effective achievement of service targets.

4.We last sought the approval of the Finance Committee in November 1996 for retention of the supernumerary PEO post for another year, that is, up to end March 1998, to enable a government secondee to SARDA. Since then, SARDA had conducted another open recruitment exercise. Given that the stated preference in previous recruitment exercises for candidates with experience in drug treatment and rehabilitation field might have limited the number of suitable prospective candidates, SARDA deleted this preference requirement in the December 1996 recruitment exercise. A total of 40 applicants responded by the close of the application period on 3 January 1997. Five were shortlisted for interview but none was able to demonstrate that they possessed strong administrative/ leadership skills at the selection interview.

5.As a result of this and past unsuccessful recruitment exercises, the Secretary for Security has commissioned an independent consultancy study on SARDA in July 1997 with a view to identifying, among others, the future service direction of SARDA, the refinements to its management structure, the core competencies required of the Executive Director in pursuing the strategic direction of SARDA, and the best means to fill the post of Executive Director.

6.As the consultancy study will be completed within this year and that another round of recruitment exercise, which will have taken into account the recommendations of the consultants, may not be completed before 1 April 1998 when the current supernumerary post is due to lapse, it is necessary to retain the supernumerary post to ensure the smooth operation of SARDA. Continuity is particularly important at this point in time as the Executive Director will need to oversee the , in particular thatrelocation project of one of SARDA's treatment centres to be completed needs to be completed before the by end of 1998. Although the proposed duration of the supernumerary post is one year, we will recall the government secondee and allow the The supernumerary post to will lapse if SARDA is able to recruit a suitable candidate is recruited in 1998. An organisation chart of SARDA is at Enclosure 1 and the job description of its Executive Director is at Enclosure 2.

7.The notional annual mid-point salary cost of this post is -

$ No. of Post
Supernumerary post 1,144,200 1

The full annual cost of the proposal, including salaries and staff on-costs, is $1,935,720.

8.We shall recover the full cost of this proposal, including staff on-costs, from SARDA.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

9.SARDA has been unable to find a suitable candidate from the private sector to fill the post of Executive Director when it was established in 1982. Consequently and at the request of SARDA, a civil servant at the rank of PEO has been seconded to fill this post on a supernumerary basis. Attempts over the years to recruit an Executive Director had failed. As a result, we have to retain the supernumerary post on an annual basis.

CIVIL SERVICE BUREAU COMMENTS

10.The Civil Service Bureau supports the retention of the supernumerary post as proposed in paragraph 6 above. The grading and ranking of the proposed post are appropriate having regard to its duties and responsibilities.

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

11.As the PEO post is proposed on a supernumerary basis, its retention, if approved, will be reported to the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service in accordance with the agreed procedure.


Security Bureau
October 1997


Enclosure 2 to EC(97-98)29

Job Description Executive Director, SARDA

  1. To support and advise the Executive Committee of SARDA on the development of policies in relation to the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers and on the implementation of these policies.

  2. To monitor and keep under review all programmes of service delivery and ensure that they are clinically, financially and operationally effective.

  3. To control and budget for the expenditure of funds from Government subventions and charitable organisations.

  4. To acquire, manage, develop and motivate the human resource of SARDA, comprising medical, nursing, social work and administrative staff.

  5. To see that SARDA has the necessary procedures, administrative arrangements, equipment and accommodation to carry out its tasks.

  6. To maintain effective net-working with the Department of Health, Social Welfare Department, Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau and other non-Government organisations involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers.

(LU0025/P.1-P.5/WIN2)