POSTAL SERVICE (Transfer of Division I Officers)

Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Communications how many Division I Officers in the Postal Service have been transferred to other departments of the Public Service since March, 1973, or how soon such transfers will take place.

Mr Chai Chong Yii (for the Minister for Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, since March, 1973, three Division I Officers in the Postal Services Departn:ent have been transferred out as follows:

1. An Assistant Controller of Posts, with 2 years 6 months' service in the Department, was absorbed into the Statistics Service and attached to the Ministry of Labour as from 16th August, 1973.

2. An Assistant Controller of Posts, with a degree in Engineering, took up the appointment of Mechanical Engineer in the Public Works Department with effect from 1st November, 1973. He had 1 year 5 months' service with the Postal Services Department.

3. An Assistant Controller of Posts, with 2 years 8 months' service in the Department, was absorbed into the Administrative Service with effect from 1st January, 1974, but remains in the Postal Services Department on secondment basis for a period of one year with effect from 1st January, 1974, or until the vacancy is filled, whichever is earlier.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, why was the Mechanical Engineer recruited into the Postal Services Department in the first instance?

Mr Chai Chong Yii: Sir, the Postal Services Department is a closed service, and if someone with a degree in Engineering applies for a post in the Postal Service and is accepted, I see no reason why we should not allow him to work there. But after working for some time, he shows more interest in some other department and, in fact, that was the reason why he was transferred out.