FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1988
ROLE OF COMMITTEE,
BUT SIR DAVID STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NON-OFFICIALS. THEIR PARTICIPATION IN EXCO, LEGCÓ, FINANCE THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE WIDE RANGE OF AUTHORITIES, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WAS VITAL IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS TO CONTINUE TO GOVERN BY CONSENSUS.
HE EXPLAINED THAT BY ESTABLISHING THE NEW AUTHORITIES, THE GOVERNMENT WAS CERTAINLY NOT ABROGATING ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND FINANCIAL CONTROL IN MAJOR AREAS OF ITS OPERATIONS.
POLICY-MAKING REMAINED AND WOULD
CONTINUE то REMAIN IN THE HANDS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. IT WAS THE POLICY SECRETARY RESPONSIBLE FOR AN AUTHORITY WHO APPEARED IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS PUT BY MEMBERS. AND IT WAS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT APPROVED FUNDS EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO THE AUTHORITIES.
THE RATIONALE FOR ESTABLISHING AUTHORITIES WAS VERY
CLEAR, HE
SAID.
THE AUTHORITIES PROVIDED A WAY OF MAKING USE OF THE EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE WHICH MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY BUT NOT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THE AUTHORITIES WERE ABLE TO OPERATE IN A MORE FLEXIBLE WAY, IN TERMS OF THEIR MANAGEMENT STYLE AND FINANCIAL CONTROL THAN WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS.
IN ADDITION, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AUTHORITIES PROVIDED A WAY OF ENSURING THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE DID NOT GROW TOO DRAMATICALLY.
"THE OVER-RIDING ADVANTAGE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH BODIES IS THAT THEY ALLOW A MUCH GREATER DEGREE OF PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMUNITY IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES WHICH ARE OF BENEFIT ΤΟ THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
"
"THAT MUST BE A PROGRESSIVE AND WELCOME DEVELOPMENT AND I AM SURPRISED THAT SOME OF OUR CRITICS HAVE FAILED ΤΟ RECOGNISE IT AS SUCH.'
SIR DAVID SAID HE WAS PROUD TO HEAD THE CIVIL SERVICE, AND EXPLAINED THAT DESPITE WHAT CARTOONISTS AND COMMENTATORS WOULD HAVE THE PUBLIC BELIEVE, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A TYPICAL CIVIL SERVANT.
THERE WERE OVER 180,000 CIVIL SERVANTS IN 435 ORADES IN SOME 60 DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, AND THEY DID "A VARIETY OF JOBS NOT NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH PUSILING PENA"
PHONG KONG