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CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION
Terms of Reference.
1.
The Colonial Secretary on the 12th March, 1949 issued verbal instructions for a detailed organization and methods survey to be made of the Colonial Secretariat and a report to be issued with recommendations for increasing efficiency, simplifying procedures and the economical use of staff.
Organization.
2. Due to abnormal conditions following the war and the enemy occupation of the Colony, especially in regard to the absence of records, the organization was designed to obtain the greatest use of officers with pre-war experience. This neces- sity resulted in an unequal distribution of responsibilities and work volume. Another disadvantage which this Government had to suffer, was that clerical staff were employed with no experience in public service and some without any clerical experience whatsoever. The training of this staff has been chiefly by experience with their duties and this method has not proved successful.
Clerical Procedures.
3. Shortage of experienced staff and pressure of urgent business, has in the past discouraged a review of office procedures. Old methods, out of keeping with present day conditions, were used and have resulted in duplicate recording and the pre- paration of records serving little useful purpose.
4. The following chapters review in detail the Secretariat organization and its procedures. Recommendations are made for the re-distribution of functions, the use of a wider clerical service and the simplification of procedures to provide greater efficiency and a reduction in the number of staff employed.
CHAPTER II.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINE
The present top organization.
5. The structural design of the organization is illustrated on Appendix A. The main pattern of the organization was found to be satisfactory and worked reason- ably well, but defects were observed and are referred to below.
RE-GROUPING OF SUBJECTS.
Deputy Colonial Secretary.
6. The present responsibilities of the Deputy Colonial Secretary are heavy and numerous. It is necessary for the Colonial Secretary to have a co-ordinating officer for all subjects other than financial and establishment and for that officer to give decisions on his behalf.
7. To enable the Deputy Colonial Secretary to fulfil his main function as co-ordinating officer, he should be freed from the direct control of any subject-
Clerk of Councils.
8. It is recommended that Clerk of Councils should be an officer other than the D.C.S. and that the post of Deputy Clerk of Councils should be abolished.
P.A.D.C.S.
9. The title of the Personal Assistant to the Deputy Colonial Secretary (P.A.D.C.S.) for that officer is a misnomer, as he is administratively responsible for named executive departments in addition to being Deputy Clerk of Councils.