THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1975
10-YEAR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
X X X X X X
AN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH WILL ATTEMPT TO ASSESS THE TOTAL NEEDS OF HONG KONG FOR LAND, MONEY AND OTHER RESOURCES DURING A 10-YEAR PERIOD IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
DISCLOSING THIS TODAY, THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID THAT DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS SOME PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE BETTER USE OF PLANNING PROCESSES.
+PROGRAMME. PLANS COVERING ACTIVITIES WHICH ABSORB ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR ARE IN THE COURSE OF PREPARATION.+
IN ADDITION TO THE FIRST PLANS FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AND MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON PLANS TO COVER LAW AND ORDER, HOUSING, FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE CO-ORDINATION OF THE SERVICES IN THE NEW TOWNS AND SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.
HOWEVER, SIR DENYS SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THESE PLANS ARE COMPREHENSIVE IN THEIR APPROACH TO A GIVEN ACTIVITY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN LINKED TOGETHER.
THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WILL EMBODY THE VARIOUS PROGRAMME PLANS AND ATTEMPT TO ASSESS THE TOTAL NEEDS OF HONG KONG FOR LAND, MONEY AND OTHER RESOURCES. WORK ON THE PLAN HAS JUST BEGUN.
REFERRING TO ONE OF THE CHANGES INTRODUCED IN 1973- THE REDEFINITION OF THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE SECRETARIAT AND DEPARTMENTS - THE COLONIAL SECRETARY SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE WAS THE CREATION OF BRANCHES IN THE SECRETARIAT WHICH ASSUMED GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FORMATION OF POLICY AND ITS EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT.
BASED ON LESSONS LEARNT DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN SECRETARIES HAS BEEN REVISED RECENTLY TO REMOVE OVERLAPPING AND TO ENABLE THEM TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES MORE EFFECTIVELY.
+A REVIEW OF ALL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEES IS UNDER WAY, WITH EACH SECRETARY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING BOTH THE USEFULNESS AND MEMBERSHIP OF THOSE WHICH FALL WITHIN HIS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY, HE ADDED.
/REVIEWING
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