First three Secretaries named in
reform plan
By KEVIN SINCLAIR
Three of the new "overlords" envisaged in thenew-look, streamlined Government establishment were named last night only hours after the McKinsey report on the public service was tabled in the Legislative Council.
'
串
As part of the adoption of the sweeping proposals made by the team of London-based management consultants, the
three men will head Secretariats ¦ which will have ultimate responsibility for large groups of departments and specific Government programmes.
They are:
Mr Jack Cater, named Secretary for Home Affairs, a role which the McKinsey consultants believe should be placed on a high level within the Government because of his position as a member of the Executive Council. Mr Cater is
at
present Secretary for Information and Chairman of the Fight Violent Crime Campaign.
Mr Ian Lightbody, designated Secretary for Housing, a position which will place him in overall charge of providing homes for the Colony's increasing population. Mr Lightbody is now Secretary for Housing, but in the future set-up of the Government, he will have far wider responsibilities than at present.
1
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST May 24th '73
MA
JUKKI/IP
?
Mr J. J. Robson, named proposals for the new powerful secretaries, the report as Secretary for the Environment,
strengthened and reaffirmed the whose new
authority and responsibility of heads of departments for the departments effective operation of their
position will place him in the for the quality of life for the role of being largely responsible
people of Hongkong.
Mr Robson will be replaced; as Director of Public Works by Mr A. S. Robertson.
Tabling the McKinsey report in the Legislative Council yesterday, the Colonial Secretary, Sir Hugh Norman Walker, described it as "most valuable" and said it provided the Colony with real future benefits.
He said the report was not a
single package of a set of proposals which had to be accepted or rejected as a whole.
They were a series of new ideas on ways of doing things, to be tried out and implemented if they were found to be workable and effective.
Some of the suggestions of the consultants had already been adopted with success and others would be tried in future.
Sir Hugh said the object of the proposals by the McKinsey
and implementation of department policies.
to
Sir Hugh said the proposal: were not "finite" but would have changed on occasions since, in be modified and
Hongkong's
circumstances, flexibility and adaptability were industry. as important as trade and
Reliable Government sources last night indicated the remaining three "Secretaryships' would be filled within the next two months.
They said they doubted that public servants would be named anybody but present serving
to the important posts.
As well as the far-reaching changes to the top levels of the Government, the McKinsey consultants during their 11- month investigation went to the lower reaches of the public service to make specific and
team was to create a smaller
detailed recommendations machine with a more positive Services, Medical and Health but highly powered central
concerning the police. Urban role for the initiation and formulation of policies and programmes.
and the PWD.
Many of the proposals made by the management consultants. Although the McKinsey are already being used in the recommendations are
being
day-to-day working of various largely adopted, Sir Hugh departments and, more will be stressed that along with the introduced in the near future.
One public servant said last night he believed there were "built-in opportunities for bureaucratic wrangling" in the new set-up which will have department heads and then the senior layer of public servants above them.
new
But reliable sources said the heads of various departments would be able to get on with running their departments and the new secretaries would be in charge of making sure general Government policies were followed and specific programmes were vigorously pursued.
"I think this will lead to a faster, tighter public service,” he said.