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Date:
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Reporter:
26.11.86.
8.30
12.15
PMO
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in early 1982 not to consider further the necessary remedial works
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Now, negotiations with the intended agency began in early 1983 but
the agency did not commit itself to the project until late 1984.
Now, admittedly we could perhaps have taken greater action to prod
the agency along. Now, plans for the necessary alteration work
have taken longer than usual to be approved because of the structural nature of the works and this involved the Department consulting not only several other Government departments but also the MTRC and its consulting company. We now expect the centre to become operational by early 1987 and in the meantime we have given the agency possession of the premises to carry out interior decorations and, in fact, a number of programmes for children's use are already being organised on the spot.
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Thank you for a very comprehensive explanation of the whole report but do you have any further questions, Mr Lee ?
MR LEE: Yes, we have a few further questions. Director, the next question is a three-tier one. Can you explain the reasons why the progress for completion of the accommodation for the two centres in question had not been monitored closely by your Department and whether or not there are any sections of your Department responsible for checking the progress and liaising with the developer and, if not, is it desirable to have a department or a section within your Department, designated for that purpose ?
DSW: We do have a section in my Department which is responsible for planning and for monitoring progress. I have conceded earlier on that in this particular case, we could for example in negotiating with the agency to take over the project, we could have prodded the agency along a little more but the fact is that we did begin negotiations and we really cannot act until the agency gives us a firm commitment to proceed. Now, lacking this firm commitment, there are a number of options, all of which are not
36 very satisfactory. We could, for example, go along to another
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Madam
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