WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1984
21
MR HŲ ADDED THAT THE TIMING FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED PREMATURELY, BUT COULD BE CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY AFTER A FULL ASSESSMENT HAD BEEN MADE OF THE SITUATION.
TURNING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR HU SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CONGRATULATED FOR ITS EFFORTS TO STABILISE THE SIZE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT EVEN GREATER EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO FURTHER REDUCE THE SIZE THROUGH STREAMLINING, AND THE SIMPLIFYING OF OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES, WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE QUALITY OF WORK.
CITING THE PRIVATISATION OF GOVERNMENT CARPARK MANAGEMENT AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS, HE SAID ALL DEPARTMENTS SHOULD LOOK INTO AREAS WHERE WORK OR MANAGEMENT COULD BE PASSED ON TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THIS COULD ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT IN REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, AND IN PRODUCING ADDITIONAL OR SIMILAR LEVELS OF REVENUE, INSTEAD OF INCURRING LIMITED REVENUES OR DEFICITS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, MR HU SAID, EXPANSION IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS MUST BE ALLOWED TO ENABLE THEM TO COPE WITH
ADDITIONAL VOLUMES OF WORK - ESPECIALLY IN DEALING WITH MATTERS OF SECURITY AND TRADE - WITHOUT APPLYING THE RIGID RULE OF SAVING IN OTHER SECTORS.
+THE QUESTION OF RESTRAINING GROWTH IN THE CIVIL SERVICE MUST BE DEALT WITH SYSTEMATICALLY AND REASONABLY, BUT NOT DOGMATICALLY, + HE SAID.
ON HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY, MR HU SAID HE BELIEVED THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE WOULD NOW LEAD TO RENEWED CONFIDENCE AND A REVIVAL IN DOMESTIC
INVESTMENTS.
HE SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRES TO ASSIST MANUFACTURERS TO UP-GRADE THE IR PRODUCTS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN HIGHER MARGINS OF PROFIT, ENABLING THEM TO UNDERTAKE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THEMSELVES.
ON SOCIAL WELFARE, MR HU SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THERE WOULD BE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSOLIDATING THE VARIOUS PAYMENTS AND FOR INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF DISREGARDED INCOME FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR OWN EARNINGS.
CONTENDING THAT THE PRESENT SCHEME, WITH ALL ITS SUPPLEMENTS AND ALLOWANCES WAS DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND AND EQUALLY DIFFICULT FOR SOCIAL WORKERS TO EXPLAIN TO THEM - MR HU HOPED THAT THE REVIEW WOULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN SIMPLIFICATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE SCHEME.
/ME HU ....