WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 8.1989
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COMMITTEE FORMED TO GUIDE PILOT STUDIES
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A HIGH POWERED PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM STEERING COMMITTEE HAS NOW BEEN SET UP UNDER THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S COMMITTEE TO GUIDE AND CO-ORDINATE VARIOUS PILOT STUDIES AND TO TAKE THE REFORM PROGRAMME FORWARD. THE CHIEF SECRETARY. THE HON SIR DAVID FORD. SAID IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE
SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE LEVEL OF DEMAND ON THE GOVERNMENT'S RESOURCES. BOTH IN MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL TERMS. WAS LIKELY TO GROW SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE NEXT DECADE WHEN MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WOULD REACH CONSTRUCTION STAGE.
"BUT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED. THE ADMINISTRATION IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, AND IN TURN ΤΟ PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON POLICY SECRETARIES' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SETTING PRIORITIES AND FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GENERALLY. HE SAID.
THE
THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT
ADMINISTRATION. WITH THESE OBJECTIVES IN MIND. COMPLETED AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT ON PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.
"THIS REFORM PROGRAMME HAS GENERATED GREAT INTEREST WITHIN THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT OF THE SERVICE." HE SAID. ADDING THAT HE WOULD KEEF MEMBERS INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE HIGH DEGREE OF INTEREST SHOWN BY MANY MEMBERS IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE REFLECTED A RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A STABLE. EFFICIENT AND CONTENTED CIVIL SERVICE IN HONG KONG IF WE WERE TO FACE THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE.
SIR DAVID SAID LAST YEAR HE WAS ABLE TO SAY THAT MORALE IN CIVIL SERVICE WAS HIGH. "I CANNOT SAY THE SAME THIS YEAR. REMARKED.
THE
HE
"THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT CONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THE RELATED ISSUE OF NATIONALITY. TOGETHER WITH THE BRAIN DRAIN AND THE ADDITIONAL DEMANDS BEING MADE ON THEIR SERVICES HAS AFFECTED CIVIL SERVANTS' MORALE.
"BUT WHILE MORALE MAY HAVE SUFFERED SOMEWHAT. WHAT IS PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. IS THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED ΤΟ AFFECT THE HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE WHICH THE CIVIL SERVICE HAS GIVEN AND CONTINUES TO GIVE." THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.
HOWEVER. HE STRESSED THAT THIS WAS NOT TO SAY THAT HE WAS COMPLACENT ABOUT THE PRESENT STATE OF CIVIL SERVICE MORALE.
HAS MANY BUT ONE GOOD EMPLOYER.
"WE MUST TRY AND IMPROVE IT. THE EXISTING SITUATION CAUSES. NOT ALL OF WHICH ARE WITHIN OUR CAPACITY TO RESOLVE. THING WE CAN DO IS TO SEEK THAT THE GOVERNMENT. AS A PROVIDES ITS CIVIL SERVANTS WITH REASONABLE PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. SIR DAVID SAID.
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/NOTING THAT