WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1982
7
MR CHEN SAID: WHAT WE NEED NOW IS AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE WHOLE MACHINERY TO SEE WHERE THE DEFECTS LIE AND WHETHER SOME GEARS AND WHEELS ARE REDUNDANT AND OTHERS OVER-BURDENED.
*IN VIEW OF THE PARTICULARLY RAPID GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SUCH A REVIEW MUST INCLUDE THE NEW PROCEDURE FOR CREATING POSTS INTRODUCED IN 1980.
+ONLY THEN WILL WE BE IN A POSITION TO DECIDE WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION OR CONTROL IS NEEDED, FOR IN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S OWN WORDS 'CONTROL THERE MUST BE IF WE ARE TO SEE AN EFFECTIVE CURBING OF THE UNRESTRAINED GROWTH IN BOTH THE CIVIL SERVICE AND PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.+
CONCERN ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE GROWTH
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HONG KONG IS IN DANGER OF BEING OVER-REGULATED AND OVER-GOVERNED BY A SPRAWLING BUREAUCRACY, WARNED THE HON LYDIA
DUNN.
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE TODAY, MISS DUNN REFERRED TO THE +ALARMING GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IN RECENT YEARS.
+UNLESS WE ARE AWARE OF THE NEED REGULARLY TO REVIEW PROCEDURES, TO TAKE A DYNAMIC VIEW OF MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES, TO DEVELOP RELEVANT SKILLS AND TO MODIFY OUTDATED ATTITUDES, I FEAR THE GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE WILL CONTINUE UNABATED, ALL IN THE NAME OF CIVIC PROGRESS AND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT, SHE SAID.
SHE EMPHASISED THAT HER CONCERN ABOUT THE PRESENT AND PROJECTED SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS COST.
+AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, I BELIEVED THAT WE HAVE A SERVICE WHICH CONSISTS OF HARD-WORKING AND DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF HONG KONG'S PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS.
+BUT THE GROWTH OF THE SERVICE IS SUCH THAT WE NEED TO PAUSE, CONSOLIDATE AND TAKE STOCK OF THE SYSTEM.+
MISS DUNN CALLED FOR A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, ITS PRODUCTIVITY AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE.
SHE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 138 000 IS STILL APPROPRIATE AND, IN PARTICULAR, WHETHER THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT CONCEPT REMAINS RELEVANT.
SHE RECALLED THAT IN REPLY TO A SIMILAR PLEA BY HER IN THE LAST BUDGET DEBATE, THE THEN CHIEF SECRETARY UNDERTOOK TO INSTRUCT THE ADMINISTRATION BRANCH TO HAVE A REAPPRAISAL AT THE OVERALL ORGANISATION OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
/+ALTHOUGH I