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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
specifically made the point for a third party and the Council to take the initiative instead of wasting time and energy to wait for the Department to take up a review on its own. We therefore support Ms. Ada Wong's amendment. However, we feel that the spirit of the original motion is worth supporting. At least, it provides the Council with a positive view. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. WU CHI-WAI (in Cantonese): A set of effective review and feedback mechanism is necessary if we want to build up constant operations and enhance efficiency for the various functions of the Department. This mechanism is basically divided into two parts.
First of all, it involves the individual performance of staff and the appraisal system. This must be further strengthened so that there will be clear rewards and penalties for good and bad performance respectively. The design of a clear-cut system of rewards and penalties is necessary, at the same time to have that system in place but not to implement it seriously will not help at all. As such, those in charge in the Department should have the courage to implement this system in order that the administration will be more effective. From this, I can see that the Urban Council as a policy maker will have to show courage in facing present demand of the community for better efficiency within the bureaucratic structure of the Urban Services Department. That commitment calls for courage and there will be need to have a uniform tailor-made for the Urban Services Department.
Secondly, this feedback mechanism should be further enhanced to a higher level so as to monitor the overall performance of different units. In fact, this is highly technical and it can be basically divided into two parts, namely the standards of work and service qualities and the assessment of service qualities.
First and foremost, a set of clear service quality standards involves many aspects. Internally, the standards include how to improve the administrative efficiency and the management of work plans in order to clarify more important tasks of various units. Externally, the Council and the public will monitor the performance and accountability of the Department more effectively. In establishing such standards, the following principles should be followed. They should be of concrete substance and allow effective assessment and supervision. The standards should also aptly reflect the targets and aims of the Department's work.
I would like to make one point that the assessment standards adopted by the Urban Services Department at present fit into the category of a flaw in management. That flaw is 'incestuous reproduction' and it leaves daily at a loss to know the crux of the matter. We can understand that as a Department, many constraints have to be faced in daily operations. However, is it reasonable for the Urban Council as the policy maker to rely one-sidedly on opinions provided by the Department in making our policy decisions?
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