WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992
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BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH WAS STARTING WORK ON THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE NEW CLIENT-BASED CULTURE WHICH SHOULD INFUSE EVERY AREA OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY:
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CIVIL SERVANTS DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC WILL IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY NAME;
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC WILL RECEIVE AT LEAST AN INTERIM REPLY WITHIN 10 DAYS;
GOVERNMENT FORMS AND DOCUMENTS WILL BE REVIEWED то ENSURE THAT THEY ARE NECESSARY, SIMPLE AND TOTALLY USER-FRIENDLY. WE WILL ABOLISH AS MANY AS WE CAN;
TRAINING COURSES WILL BE RUN TO HELP THE CIVIL SERVICE ESTABLISH NEW STANDARDS OF COURTESY AND HELPFULNESS.
THE GOVERNOR SAID THESE PERFORMANCE PLEDGES WOULD BE THE FIRST STAGE IN A PROGRAMME WHICH HE INTENDED TO MAKE A PERMANENT FEATURE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
BUT HE ALSO WANTED THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A GREATER SAY IN THE | RUNNING OF SERVICES PROVIDED IN THEIR NAME AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PUBLIC COULD BE CONFIDENT THAT THEIR VIEWS WERE FULLY REPRESENTED,
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HE INTENDED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN OVERSEEING PERFORMANCE PLEDGES THROUGH 'USERS' COMMITTEES' WHERE THESE WOULD HELP TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE MONITORING,
MR PATTEN SAID HE HAD ASKED THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO TAKE DIRECT CHARGE OF THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGE PROGRAMME, AND TO KEEP HIM CLOSELY IN TOUCH WITH ITS PROGRESS.
"HE WILL ENSURE THAT THE SUCCESS OF THIS INITIATIVE IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH AND FOR THE EFFICIENCY UNIT WE ESTABLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
"I AM IMPRESSED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE CIVIL SERVICE, ESPECIALLY ITS MANAGERS, HAVE RESPONDED TO THE CALL FOR A NEW APPROACH.
"FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THEIR MAJOR PROFESSIONAL GOAL TO. SERVE THE PUBLIC WHETHER AS THEIR PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, THEIR SOCIAL WORK CLIENTS, THEIR SCHOOL STUDENTS OR THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN GENERAL.
"I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE'S CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE A NEW STYLE AS WELL AS NRW STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE," HE SAID.
HE
MR PATTEN SAID THE PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE WOULD BE VITAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAMME HAD SET OUT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THE
**THESE QUALITIES WILL ALSO BE VITAL FOR HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SUCCESS AFTER 1997.
/"AS THE