}
Hong Rang
MAY
25th '73
May 25th
STANDARD
Slower Govt
recruitment
in new deal
THERE will be a slowdown in the Government recruitment programme when the new framework for expanding government scrvices goes into full gear.
This was stated by Mr R.S. Holland, the leader of a three-man experts who made a detailed study of the government machinery, a press conference yesterday.
at
He said this on the basis that with the new scheme introduced, there will be less redundancy and overlapping of work in departments which sean to run short of siafï,
PURPOSE
The purpose of the whole study was to streamine the departments in overall staïf jobs this being one of the objectives - and to recommend a more efficient operation.
One of the many factors which the experts found was that there was a lack of long-term planning in various government projects that is bad for efficiency.
"We pushed very hard 'on planning which is in the recand part of our report,' jer Holland said!··
"Too much of goverment" projects at the moment are treated in an ad hoc fashion. They come out one at a time piecemeal
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With a well planned long team project one could sco more cleady and easily how specific projects relate.
To this remark Mr E.L. Lee, Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary (Special Duties), contested it.
Mr Lee said by way of an example that the Government does have long-term plans such as the 10-year housing scheme.
**There are continuous govemment planning processes all the time. We can't do things like water schemes without considerable planning."
What the McKinsey proposals do is to put up into the framework in which the machinery of Government will be geared to the more effective correlation of policies, and thereafter more effective monitoring. control of performance, Mr Leo said.
As far as implementation of
1
the proposals go, the first ain of the Government is to put all the six secretaries into the government central building and this would require some readjustment, Mr Lec added.
He said it will take up to July 1 before entire implementation of the study becomes effective.
With regards to the other three secretaries, who are not yet appointed, it will take them up to six or nine months before they become fully operative.
In reply to further questions, Mr Lee said local officers will be scouted to fill the jobs first and recruitment of expatriates will be considered when по satisfactorily able local officers are found.
Regarding the functions of the six secretaries, Mr Lee added that whatever decisions or policy change they would like to make, these wil still require the approval of Legislative Council or the Executive Council.
* "In. odier words there» aro no chango'ia fils répect, öf policy making,” he sai
DISTINCTION
On the question of responsibility, Mr Hailand said there is a distinction between the secretaries making decisions and plans and the department head who will be responsible for carrying out the jobs.
Replying to a question, Mr Holländ said that the commissioner of police for instance, will
run his departinent but will co-ordinate with the secretary of security who will see to it that the programnics are carried out properly.
Asked what was the exact cost for the study, Mr Holland said it was originally figured at $2.6 million, "but the bill will be somewhat less."
Meanwhile, Hongkong's Chinese language left-wing newspapers yesterday played down the
on report
the Government's swcoping changos in its administrative machinery. The Wen Wei Pao, Ta Kung Puo, and the New Evening Post give the McKinsey Report a straight coverage without any comments.
SR
"N51 - 8 JUN 173
1001 1/18
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