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SIR JACK: CIVIL SERVICE SHOULD GIVE ITS BEST
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EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE IS NOT ONLY UNITED AND CONTENT BUT ALSO EFFICIENT, PRODUCTIVE AND CONCERNED TO GIVE OF ITS BEST TO THE PUBLIC IT SERVES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JACK CATER, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
SIR JACK AGREED WITH THE HON LYDIA DUNN'S CONTENTION THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS UNDER-MANAGED.
+THERE HAS BEEN SER IOUS OVER-STRETCH IN THE SERVICE IN THE PAST: THAT IS UNDENIABLE. IT IS ALSO UNDENIABLE THAT A GREAT DEAL OF OVER-STRETCH STILL EXISTS TODAY, HE SAID.
BUT HE ADDED THAT VERY CONSIDERABLE EXTRA RESOURCES HAD BEEN AND WERE BEING PROVIDED TO STRENGTHEN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THAT CONSCIOUS EFFORTS WERE NOW BEING MADE TO IDENTIFY THE UNDER-MANAGED AREAS.
+WE ARE TAKING ACTION TO RECTIFY SUCH SITUATIONS BEFORE THEY ASSUME TROUBLESOME PROPORTIONS, SIR JACK SAID.
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HE ADDED THAT EFFORTS WERE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RESOURCES AND STAFF MANAGEMENT WITHIN DEPARTMENTS. THE STRENGTHENING OF DIRECTORATES, ESPECIALLY IN MAJOR DEPARTMENTS WOULD ENABLE MORE ATTENTION TO BE DEVOTED TO IMPROVING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAFF AND MANAGEMENT AT ALL LEVELS AND TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF STAFF PRODUCTIVITY.
ANSWERING THE HON W.C.L. BROWN'S COMMENTS, SIR JACK SAID THERE MIGHT BE SCOPE IN THE EXCHANGE, OR INTERCHANGE, OF STAFF DEAL ING WITH PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT MATTERS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH WAS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING SOME TRIAL EXCHANGES.
AS TO EXPENDITURE OF CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING, SIR JACK AGREED WITH THE HON PETER WONG THAT A NOTE ON THE SCOPE AND COST OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES PROVIDED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN THE SERVICE WOULD BE OF GENERAL INTEREST, AND THAT SUCH A NOTE WAS BEING PREPARED BY THE BRANCH.
ON ANOTHER POINT RAISED BY MISS DUNN, SIR JACK SAID THERE HAD BEEN CHANGES IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SYSTEM SINCE 1974 AND THAT VERY SOON HE WOULD BE PUTTING NEW, MAJOR PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF TRANSPORT AND OF LAND AND WORKS.
HE AGREED WITH MISS DUNN THAT THE TIME HAD COME FOR ANOTHER LOOK AT THE OVERALL ORGANISATION OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
+ INDEED EARLIER THIS YEAR I GAVE INSTRUCTIONS THAT A REAPPRAISAL OF THE VERY ISSUES MISS DUNN HAS MENTIONED BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION BRANCH, HE SAID.
TURNING TO GOVERNMENT'S OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AND QUARTERS, SIR JACK SAID THAT OF THE $525 MILLION SOUGHT IN THE ESTIMATES FOR RENTAL OF PREMISES. $390 MILLION OR 74 PER CENT WAS TO CONTINUE EXISTING LEASES THROUGH THIS FINANCIAL YEAR AND $135 MILLION OR 26 PER CENT FOR NEW LEASES.
ANOTHER $369