WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1984
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AS FOR THE IDEA OF REWARDING EXCELLENCE WITH ADDITIONAL SALARY INCREMENTS, MR ROWLANDS SAID THERE WOULD BE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME.
ON THE QUESTION OF REWARDING GOOD PERFORMANCE, HE SAID, +FOR THE MAIN CAREER GRADES THE BEST WAY OF REWARDING EXCELLENCE IS ALMOST CERTAINLY THROUGH CAREER ADVANCEMENT.+
J
ON THE HON CHAN YING-LUN'S REMARKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A COHESIVE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE YEARS AHEAD, MR ROWLANDS SAID THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WERE IN CLOSE AND REGULAR TOUCH WITH ALL GROUPS OF STAFF.
+THESE ARRANGEMENTS, BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL, ENABLE US TO UNDERSTAND IN DEPTH THE CONCERNS OF STAFF ABOUT THE FUTURE AND TO TAKE THEM FULLY INTO ACCOUNT IN OUR PLANNING.
+THE TASK OF ENSURING CONTINUITY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE UP TO AND BEYOND 1997 MUST NOW BE TACKLED WITH CARE AND THOROUGHNESS, FOR AN EFFECTIVE AND CONTINUING PUBLIC SERVICE WILL BE ONE OF THE KEYSTONES ON WHICH THE FUTURE RESTS,+ HE SAID.
EDUCATION COMMISSION PLAYS VALUABLE ROLE
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THE EDUCATION COMMISSION IN ITS PRESENT FORM IS SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO ALLOW ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER BODIES TO EVOLVE AND GUIDELINES TO BE SET UP IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THESE BODIES ARE THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.
+ I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT UNDER THE ABLE AND EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP OF ITS CHAIRMAN, THE HON Q.W. LEE, IT WILL PLAY AN EFFECTIVE AND VALUABLE ROLE IN OFFERING CONSOLIDATED ADVICE ON THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, AND THAT A HARMONIOUS WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER THREE BODIES WILL BE BUILT UP AND MAINTAINED, MR HENDERSON SAID.
IT HAD BEEN ACCEPTED THAT THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL'S NEW TECHNICAL INSTITUTES IN TUEN MUN AND SHA TIN SHOULD BE BUILT TO HIGHER STANDARDS THAN THE EXISTING ONES, WHICH IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE A GREATER BUILDING COST PER STUDENT PLACE, HE POINTED
OUT.
+HOWEVER, THE LATEST PROJECT ESTIMATE PUTS THE COST OF PROVIDING EACH STUDENT PLACE IN THE NEW TIS AT ABOUT 80 PER CENT MORE THAN THAT OF BUILDING ONE OF THE EXISTING TIS AT TODAY'S PRICES, HE SAID.
WITH THE DECLINE IN THE TENDER PRICE INDEX, CONSTRUCTION COSTS SHOULD BE CHEAPER SO THAT THE INCREASE WAS DUE TO DESIGN, HE POINTED OUT.