THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979
SHA OUTLINES PLANS TO BUILD UP UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PUBLIC
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THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. F.K. LI TODAY (THURSDAY) OUTLINED THE PLANS TO BUILD UP BETTER MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY,
SPEAKING IN THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE, MR. LI SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SET UP A SPECIAL UNIT IN THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR TO IMPROVE ITS EFFORT IN GATHERING PUBLIC OPINION,
THE UNIT WOULD INCLUDE A PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY RESEARCH OFFICER AND ITS TASK WOULD BE TO DEVELOP A WIDER NETWORK OF OPINION GATHERING THROUGH DEPARTMENTAL CONTACTS, BUILDING ON EXISTING CHANNELS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO MAKING GREATER USE OF PROFESSIONAL OPINION SURVEYS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ALREADY THE PRACTICE FOR MAJOR POLICY PROPOSALS SUBMITTED TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO CONTAIN A SEPARATE PUBLIC RELATIONS SECTION WITH AN ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY REACTION CONDUCTED BY APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS OR SECRETARIAT BRANCHES AND CROSS-CHECKED WITH THE HOME AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS.
IN ADDITION TO CONSULTATION ON SPECIFIC ISSUES. THROUGH GREEN PAPERS AND SPECIAL SURVEYS, MR. LI NOTED, LIAISON STAFF OF THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ALSO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY SO THAT PREVAILING SPONTANEOUS PUBLIC FEELINGS ON MATTERS OF CONCERN ARE CLOSELY MONITORED AND REGULARLY RELAYED TO DEPARTMENTS AND BRANCHES.
THROUGH THESE ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPINION OF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY, AND NOT JUST THAT OF OUTSPOKEN INDIVIDUALS OR AFFECTED GROUPS, HÁS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES, HE SAID.
MR. LI ALSO STRESSED THAT IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY BOTH TO LISTEN AND TO EXPLAIN, AND TO ENSURE THAT ITS 'FEEDOUT' MACHINERY WOULD RESPOND ACCORDINGLY WITH WHAT IS GATHERED THROUGH ITS 'FEEDBACK' SYSTEM.
+ IN OUR ENDEAVOUR TO IMPROVE THE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC, WE DO PAY AS MUCH ATTENTION TO EXPLAINING GOVERNMENT POLICIES AS TO GATHERING PUBLIC OPINION, HE SAID.
LARGELY FOR THIS REASON, HE SAID, THE INFORMATION BRANCH, UNDER THE SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION, WAS RE-ESTABLISHED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR TO BETTER CO-ORDINATE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION.
REPLYING TO A POINT BY THE HON. LYDIA DUNN ON GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, MR. LI SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS EVALUATING INFORMATION COLLATED FROM THE IN-DEPTH STUDIES BY A WORKING GROUP SET UP LAST YEAR TO REVIEW THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF UNOFFICIAL PARTICIPATION ON GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES,
THE GROUP, CHAIRED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, HAS ALREADY RECOMMENDED CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS FOR STREAMLINING PROCEDURES FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS AND THE SCOUTING OF NEW TALENT, HE SAID.
/+WE ARE
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