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(b) What plans, if any, exist for the recruitment and training of the additional staff that will certainly be required for all the many new recreational projects that have been approved or are being considered?
(c) Will the Chairman study the advantages of re-organizing the Urban Services Department to meet the increasing demands of Select Committees for long-term planning?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is that the Department has until now had just sufficient administrative and technical staff to deal with the Council's expanding responsibilities in the sphere of public amenities. However, the increasing number of sites which are now becoming available for amenity purposes, coupled with energetic planning for more recreational facilities is leading rapidly to a position where additional administrative and technical staff will be essential.
The answer to the second part of the question is that I have already discussed with the Establishment Branch of the Secretariat proposals for a complete reorganization of the Amenities Group of the Urban Services Department, affecting more than a thousand staff. A key feature of these proposals is strengthening the more senior executive and technical staff. Although some additional junior or field staff will be required each year, as new projects are completed, the real need is undoubtedly for more staff at and near the top in this Group.
With regard to the third part of the question, I am not aware of any particular need at present to reorganize the Urban Services Department to meet the demands of Select Committees, except in the special case of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, which I have just mentioned. If Chairmen of other Select Committees feel differently I should be glad if they would bring the facts to my attention, and I will look into the matter further.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, as Mr. CHEONG-LEEN has not risen to the bait, may I proceed with my supplementaries? First, I would like to say that you have certainly given me the information in your reply that I wanted. May I, Mr. Chairman, ask you to make strong representations regarding the need to strengthen the senior positions in the Urban Services Department. Secondly, Mr. Chairman, are you prepared likewise to make representations regarding the need for the Department to be reorganized so that a Deputy Director of the Urban
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Services Department may be engaged to keep pace with the various ambitious programmes which the Select Committees have?
CHAIRMAN: Sir, with regard to the question of a Deputy Director, I would prefer to leave that for the consideration of the substantive Chairman, Mr. KINGHORN, who is shortly coming back from leave. (Laughter).
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I say that you have very quickly familiarized yourself with the Standing Orders and I congratulate you on that score. But I do think, Mr. Chairman, that representations ought to be made that a department of the importance of the Urban Services should have a Deputy Director to deal with the day-to-day administration, leaving the Director to pursue the programmes which Unofficial Members have set up.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, before you answer that supplementary perhaps I would like to get a clear understanding of the question which has been raised by Mr. SALES: is it that he is advocating that there should be a Deputy Director so long as he continues to be Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee?
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I be excused for Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's lack of understanding? He is rather somnolent this afternoon. (Laughter).
MR. WILFRED WONG: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? Is there not a parking space in the compound downstairs marked "Deputy Director, U.S.D."? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: I shall have to look into that. (Laughter).
MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question :-
(a) Could we be given assurance that in future, before sending squatters to a new resite area, the proposed area will be investigated to see if it is fit for human habitation in respect of water, transport, sanitation, communication in case of sickness or other emergencies, schooling? (b) In cases where people are too poor to erect a hut in a resite area, what assistance is given by Government?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
In answering the first part of the question, I think I should first clarify the meaning of "resite area”. A resite area is not synonymous with a cottage resettlement area. The words "resite area" are merely a convenient term used by
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