IN Circular Memorandum No. 6/98 under reference (11) in SR 17/1/1 VI, dated 23.3.98, the Secretary for the Civil Service announced the 1998-99 allocation of awards to bureaux/departments under the Long Service Travel Award Scheme.

The circular is summarised as follows: All local non-directorate officers with a continuous period of service of 20 years or more as at 1 October, 1997 are eligible for consideration of the award while officers who have previously received a merit trip under the same scheme or the former Merit Trip Scheme are not eligible.

The guidelines to be observed by the departmental selection committee for the grant of the awards include length of service and good staff reports (normally confined to the last five years). Preference will be given to candidates who have not recently had, and are unlikely in the near future to have an opportunity for Government sponsored overseas travel (such as overseas training).

Awards granted under the scheme must be used within the 1998-99 financial year. A serving officer selected for the award who is unable to take up the travel in 1998-99 will be given preference for an award in the next financial year provided he has given reasonable explanation in good time.

The Force has been tentatively granted a quota of 263 (260 for officers other than MOD 1 staff and 3 for MOD 1 staff).

The award takes the form of a travel allowance fixed at a maximum of $15,650 for each officer. If the officer is married, a similar travel allowance will be provided for his/her spouse, provided she/he accompanies the officer. The officer will not be permitted to increase his/her allowance by off-setting savings from the spouse's allowance, or vice versa.

The award winner (and the spouse) must take just one round trip of recreational travel outside Hong Kong and Macau before 31 March 1999 or before the officer's pre-retirement leave ends, whichever is earlier. There will be no limit on the duration of the travel but the officer will have to use his earned leave for the purpose.

The travel allowance can be used to cover passage costs and fares for travel by coach, rail and ferry. It can also be used to pay for accommodation, package tours, car-hire, airport departure tax and security service charges. The allowance is fully accountable and submission of receipts for the expenses within one month on completion of the travel is required.

The allowance is tax free.

Nomination for the Long Service Award Scheme 98/99 has already been called for by SP JPO via a memo to Major Formation Commanders under reference (1) in SF(7) to CP 175/68, dated 23.2.98. Officers interested in the scheme may contact their respective Staff Relations Officers or the Staff Relations Hotline for more information.

POLICE OFFICERS' CLUB Mother's Day Sunday 10 May, special Western and Chinese buffet in the Grill Room from noon until 2:30pm. Price: $78 per person. POC Mother's Day Drawing Competition Children should collect drawings for colouring from POC reception on 10 May. Drawings must be submitted to reception before 6pm on the same day. Expiry of old POC membership cards With effect from 1 June 98 all old POC membership cards will expire. In order to ensure that your card remains valid, please approach POC reception before the end of May and apply for a new one. Health tapes POC is now offering a range of health video and audio tapes for hire at POC reception. The tapes will shortly expand in quantity but at present there are ten that may be of interest. Tape rental is $10/week, with a $2 late charge being levied per day. Rising 3's Playgroup Give your child the opportunity to further their communication, creative and social skills through: art and craft activities, music and movement, creative play, story-time, and fun. Each group will have a maximum of 14 children between 18 months and 3 years. The groups will be led by Louise Byard or Beryl Chung, who are both mums and experienced English School Education Assistants. Cost per 2-hour session: $75. For more information and registration call Beryl Chung: 2571-5004. POC Wine of the Month (May) Kendall Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon 1994. A broad, rich, full-bodied wine with flavours of blackberry and cassis backed with notes of cedar and toast. This wine drinks well now, but will continue to gain complexity with time in the cellar.

Three professors from Tsinghua University invited by the Force will be presenting two one-day seminars to superintendent and above ranks at the Police Training School auditorium between 8:45am and 4:30pm on Monday 11 May, and on Tuesday 12 May.
Doctors Lin Tai, Wang Cheng-ji and Liu Mei-xun will talk (in Putonghua) on Chinese Political Reform, the Chinese Legal System and the Current Chinese Economic Situation. This is a unique opportunity for senior police officers to enhance their knowledge of the current situation in China.
Turnout (in plainclothes) is expected to be 50 to 60 officers for each seminar. For more information contact Anita Luk, CIP SUP TRG.

Leave Homes

FORCE holiday bungalow accommodation is available from May 1 - 31, 1998 for Gazetted and Inspectorate officers and their civilian counterparts as follows:

Interested colleagues should obtain a letter of introduction from the Personnel Services Branch Holiday Facilities Unit and contact the hotels directly for reservations.