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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SUEN KAI-Cheong (in Cantonese):-Just now Mr. Daniel To asked five follow-up questions in a row. I hope I can answer every one of them. The first follow-up question is about the review of the provision of venue facilities maintenance and vehicle repair services by the Electrical and Mechanical Departments, the review of the actual needs for replacement of vehicles and consideration of the proposal of hiring transportation services from the private sector. Regarding the specific details in these areas, as the reviews are still under way, they are not yet available. When the outcome is available, we will discuss it at the meetings of the Administration Select Committee. If Mr. To is interested, he may join the discussion.
The second follow-up question is about the supervision of field staff. Mr. To wanted to know how supervision could be stepped up to achieve 'enhanced productivity'. I said I had already explained the issue of supervision when answering Mr. Chan Choi-hi's question. I am sure that when effectiveness is achieved in supervision, the efficiency and productivity of our services will be enhanced without any increase in the number of staff. Based on this spirit, I guarantee in paragraph (i) of the written reply that new services will be introduced and existing services be improved to enhance productivity without additional resources. In the supervision process, productivity will be enhanced without additional manpower or financial resources through the elimination of idleness and misconduct. I believe that such supervision is an integral part of the EPP.
In his third question, Mr. To considered that the Audit Commission's criticism of the RSD had implied that the Council was facing the same problem. I consider that we should not arrive at an arbitrary judgement based on this, because after all the RSD is managed by the Regional Council while the USD is under the auspices of the Urban Council. The two Councils vary in their ways of operation. If they had been completely identical, they would not have been dubbed 'one council, two systems' or criticized as 'having a proliferation of schools of thoughts'. I therefore consider that we should not make such a deduction and am not going to give any reply. I agree that since we provide the same services, if the other party is having such shortcomings, we should on our part find out whether there is any need for the Council to conduct an examination of the Department's staff performance, but I don't consider it proper to make such a judgement at the present stage.
The fourth follow-up question is about the obvious effectiveness achieved in the employment of contract library staff. I accept that this is a fact and it has also reflected the important role such a measure plays in achieving 'enhanced productivity'. As I have mentioned in part one of the written reply, the Civil Service Bureau and the Finance Bureau have put forward similar requests to heads of departments. It has also been mentioned that the USD is the executive arm of the PUC which is financially independent, but I am sure that our colleagues in the Department, which is under the management of the Council, will cut down on expenditure in accordance with the EPP.
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