FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1984
7
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:
+1 AM PLEASED TO ATTEND TODAY THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE STAFF COURSE, DESIGNED TO PREPARE MID-CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS FOR SENIOR DIRECTORATE RESPONSIBILITIES. I REFERRED TO THIS PROJECT IN MY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST OCTOBER | AM NATURALLY DELIGHTED THAT THE EFFORTS OF THOSE WHO CONCEIVED, PLANNED AND ORGANISED THESE COURSES SHOULD NOW BE REWARDED WITH SUCCESS.
+THE PACE OF HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST FEW DECADES HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE BOTH IN THE DIVERSITY AND COMPLEXITY OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, AND IN THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL IF OUR CIVIL SERVANTS ARE TO BE PROPERLY EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR THE JOB. THIS YEAR THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING WILL BE ABOUT $600 MILLION: MORE THAN 80 000 TRAINEES WILL ATTEND COURSES ORGANISED BY OVER 100 TRAINING SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS.
+BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT JUST TO TRAIN ENOUGH CIVIL SERVANTS. IF THE COMMUNITY IS TO BE GIVEN THE SERVICE IT DESERVES, THE WORK OF THE CIVIL SERVICE MUST BE OF HIGH QUALITY AND TO BE OF HIGH QUALITY IT MUST BE WELL ORGANISED AND USE THE BEST TECHNIQUES. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT IN RECENT YEARS THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLACED INCREASING EMPHASIS ON MANAGEMENT TRAINING, ESPECIALLY FOR OFFICERS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO FILL SENIOR DIRECTORATE POSTS IN THE FUTURE. EACH YEAR WE SEND A SMALL NUMBER OF SENIOR OFFICERS
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE USE OF THESE TO ATTEND COURSES OVERSEAS, OVERSEAS TRAINING PROGRAMMES, BUT THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO CONDUCT OUR OWN SENIOR MANAGEMENT TRAINING +IN-HOUSE+, TO ENABLE GREATER NUMBERS OF OFFICERS TO BENEFIT, AND SO THAT COURSES CAN BE TAILORED
THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE STAFF COURSE TO HONG KONG'S SPECIAL NEEDS.
IS DESIGNED TO MEET THESE NEEDS.
ITS
+ THE COURSE IS AN IMPORTANT NEW PROJECT FOR HONG KONG. VALUE WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AND TESTED BY THE CONTRIBUTION IT MAKES TO BETTER MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME THAT CONTRIBUTION WILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL ONE. IN CONCLUSION, CONGRATULATE THE CHAIRMAN, THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES AND HIS STAFF ON THE SUCCESSFUL COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIRST COURSE. I CONGRATULATE TOO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE COURSE ON THE IR SELECTION. I WISH YOU ALL EVERY SUCCESS.+
18