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17
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1976
+ IT SHOULD SATISFY ITSELF THAT THE NEED TO SPEND MONEY VOTED FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE HAS NOT BEEN DIMINISHED BY CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES OCCURRING AFTER THE DEPARTMENTAL ESTIMATES ARE APPROVED.+
ON A POSSIBLE SALARIES REVISION FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. LI SAID BESIDES THE TWO CONDITIONS MENTIONED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY -- - CONSISTENCY WITH THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND ABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL FINANCIAL SITUATION TO PAY HE WOULD SUGGEST A THIRD CONDITION, I.E. CIVIL SERVANTS MUST ACCEPT THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO EXPECT +MORE PAY FOR A JOB BETTER DONE+.
HE SAID THE TAXPAYERS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY AGREE THAT A SALARY REVISION WAS JUSTIFIED +UNLESS THERE IS A CORRESPOND ING INCREASE IN PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY+.
+TO MY MIND, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL THE CONDITIONS, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE TOTAL ARREARS OF REVENUE, A QUESTION HE RAISED DURING THE 1974 BUDGET, MR. LI SAID THE SITUATION SEEMED TO HAVE GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE TOTAL ARREARS AT THE END OF JUNE 1975, EXCLUDING NEW ARREARS ACCUMULATED DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, WAS $136 MILLION, WHICH IRONICALLY REPRESENTED +EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT+ WHICH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY EXPECTED TO GAIN AS ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM HIS TAX INCREASE PROPOSALS FOR 1976/77.
+YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE READ WITH GROWING DISMAY AND FRUSTRATION, THE TALES OF MISMANAGEMENT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION, UNCOORDINATED PLANNING AND OUTRIGHT NEGLIGENCE. IT IS DISCOURAGING INDEED TO SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH WASTAGE IN SO MANY DEPARTMENTS IN SO MANY WAYS.
+TWO YEARS AGO, MY HONOURABLE FRIEND, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD SAID THAT HE WELCOMED MY OBSERVATIONS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT SHOULD DESERVE MORE ATTENTION.
+OBVIOUSLY MERE ATTENTION HAS PROVEN INADEQUATE POSITIVE AND IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NECESSARY,+ HE SAID.
/18.