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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1983
+IN EXCEPTIONALLY BAD TIMES WHEN GOVERNMENT IS COMPELLED TO TRIM ITS EXPENDITURE, IT SHOULD LOGICALLY EXAMINE AREAS OF POSSIBLE SAVINGS; AND SHOULD THE SITUATION JUSTIFY IT, THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SHOULD NOT ONLY BE CONTAINED, BUT FROZEN, HE SAID.
ON STAFF MANAGEMENT, MR WONG CALLED FOR MORE POSITIVE MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED. + AM PLEASED TO NOTE, THEREFORE, THAT THE FINANCE BRANCH AND CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH HAVE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A JOINT CO-ORDINATION MACHINERY TO OVERSEE THOSE ASPECTS OF PRODUCTIVITY WHICH PARTICULARLY AFFECT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THAT A WORKSHOP TITLED CONFERENCE ON STAFF MANAGEMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE' WAS HELD IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR TO MOTIVATE SUBORDINATES AND TO SOLVE REAL PROBLEMS AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY.
+THESE ARE INDEED INDICATIONS TO BE WELCOMED AND I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION, MR WONG SAID.
TIGHTER EXPENDITURE CONTROL CALLED FOR
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TO ENSURE THAT ALL PROPOSED EXPENDITURE IS UNAVOIDABLE, A TIGHTER DISCIPLINE NEEDS TO BE INSTILLED INTO OFFICERS TO MAKE REALISTIC SPENDING FORECASTS, THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHEONG EXPRESSED AGREEMENT WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THAT IN VIEW OF ITS EXTERNALLY ORIENTED ECONOMY, HONG KONG COULD NOT BE MASTER OF ITS ECONOMIC FATE.
+BUT IN THE AREA OF EXPENDITURE CONTROL, WE ARE MASTERS OF, AND ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR, OUR DESTINY,
+ IF WE DO NOT CONSCIOUSLY AND CONTINUALLY SEEK TO EXERCISE ADEQUATE CONTROL OVER EXPENDITURE THE PUBLIC SECTOR WOULD TEND TO CROWD OUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THEIR COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES, WITH ALL THAT WHICH ENTAILS FOR THE RECOVERY AND THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF THE ECONOMY, MR CHEONG SAID.
HE SAID THAT HIS POINTS ABOUT CONTROLLING OFFICERS WITH REGARD TO EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ALSO APPLIED TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS.
THE SUBVENTED SECTOR HAD BECOME SO LARGE THAT IT HAD VIRTUALLY BECOME AN EXTENSION OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES UNDER WELL ESTABLISHED PROGRAMMES, MR CHEONG NOTED.
BUT SUBVENTED AGENCIES DID NOT COME UNDER THE SAME DEGREE OR EVEN THE SAME KIND OF CONTROL WHICH A CONTROLLING OFFICER COULD EXERCISE OVER HIS STAFF, HE SAID.
+I BELIEVE,