FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1980
ACTING GOVERNOR SPEAKS ABOUT FUTURE OF HONG KONG
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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR JACK CATER,
SIR JACK CATER, SPOKE ABOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE, ICAC AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN PART TWO OF HIS INTERVIEW WITH RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG BROADCAST THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING.
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THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS MORNING'S INTERVIEW
INTERVIEWER: COULD WE JUST TAKE A LOOK FOR A MOMENT SIR JACK,
THE SHIP THAT YOU YOURSELF RUN --- THAT IS, THE CIVIL SERVICE. IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE CIVIL SERVICE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COPE WITH GOVERNING HONG KONG IN THE COMING DECADE?
SIR JACK I THINK THERE COULD BE NO DOUBTING THE ABILITY OF THE
CIVIL SERVICE TO COPE WITH THE PROBLEM BUT I DO FEEL THAT AT TIMES OVER THESE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO WE HAVE EXPECTED TOO MUCH OF THE SERVICE. THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF OVERSTRETCH. THE ANXIETY HAS BEEN TO FINISH THE JOB IN HAND, TO GET THINGS DONE IN A HURRY. WE HAVE BEEN IN AN ENORMOUS TEARING HURRY IN THESE LAST 10 YEARS AND SUPPOSE INEVITABLY, BUT TO ME VERY SADLY, IT SEEMS THAT STAFF RELATIONSHIPS AND GOOD STAFF MANAGEMENT HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN TO THE FORM AND I BELIEVE THAT, PROVIDED WE ARE SENSIBLE, AND WE INTEND TO BE, PROVIDED WE ARE SENSIBLE THIS CAN BE PUT RIGHT. BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS. WE NEED TO GET OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT. MACHINERY MUST BE DEVELOPED TO INVOLVE CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT, MORE IN THE PLANNING AS WELL AS THE EXECUTIONAL NEED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GREATER EMPHASIS BEING PLACED ON, SIMPLY ON GOOD STAFF RELATIONSHIPS.
INTERVIEWER I I TAKE IT FROM THAT THAT YOU MEAN THERE IS A NEED
FOR IMPROVING MACHINERY FOR STAFF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS?
SIR JACK: NOT JUST THAT, I THINK THAT, OF COURSE, VARIOUS
THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO: THE SETTING UP OF THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN TERMS, I BELIEVE, IN THESE TERMS. SIR Y.K. KAN AND HIS COMMISSION HAS DONE A REMARKABLY GOOD JOB, WE HAVE GOT TO BUILD ON THIS THOUGH. IT IS A STANDING COMMISSION WHICH, AT THIS MOMENT, IS CONSIDER ING WAYS AND MEANS OF IMPROVING STAFF RELATIONSHIPS WITH A CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY THAT WILL BE NECESSARY AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO THAT REPORT VERY KEENLY. SO I THINK THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE HERE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO WORRY, THAT PERHAPS TRADE UNIONS ARE TENDING TO GO THE WRONG WAY. PERSONALLY, I AM PLEASED TO SEE STAFF TAKING INTEREST IN AFFAIRS THAT CONCERN THEM. I THINK THIS IS TO BE ENCOURAGED, BUT IT DOES MEAN, OF COURSE, THAT BOTH SIDES MANAGEMENT AND STAFF - HAVE TO BE SENSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE IN WHAT THEY DO.
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