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FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1993
THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT IS ABOUT $9 BILLION, TOWARDS WHICH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN HIS BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY EARMARKED A SUM OF $4 BILLION (IN 1994 PRICES) AS THE GOVERNMENT'S POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROJECT, EITHER AS WORKS OR AS EQUITY.
AT
MR YEUNG NOTED THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS EXPECTED TO GROW BY LEAST FIVE PER CENT IN REAL TERMS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, SO THE FINANCES SHOULD BE THERE TO START YET MORE NEW PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.
"THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM IS TO HAVE IN PLACE THE RESOURCES NOT ONLY TO CATCH UP ON THE PRESENT BACKLOG OF WORKS BUT ALSO TO TAKE ON THESE NEW DEMANDS.
"THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ABOUT TO HIDE ITS FAILURE TO DELIVER WHAT HAS BEEN PROMISED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME. THE COMMITMENT HAS BEEN MADE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS TO A RADICAL RE-THINK OF THE WHOLE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES,
"WE NOW KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES AND WHAT THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ARE. THE MAIN AREAS THAT NEED TO BE TACKLED ARE CLEARER LINES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, THE NEED FOR A BETTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, THE NEED TO AUGMENT THE CAPACITY OF THE WORKS GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS, AND A REVIEW OF HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST TO SEE WHETHER THEY CAN BE DONE IN A BETTER WAY.
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE EFFECTS OF THE REVIEW SHOULD TO BE FELT BY THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, MR YEUNG ASSURED THE
BEGIN AUDIENCE.
ON OTHER MEANS TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS ARE STARTED AND COMPLETED ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET, MR YEUNG SAID AN OBVIOUS STEP то TAKE WAS TO MAKE SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.
"1 HAVE THIS WEEK ISSUED A FINANCIAL CIRCULAR SETTING OUT THE COURSE OF ACTION TO BE FOLLOWED. POLICY SECRETARIES WILL, AS CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE UNDER THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION SYSTEM FOR SEEKING FUNDS FOR THEIR PROGRAMMES.
MAIN NOW,
"IT HAS BEEN AGREED, HOWEVER, THAT THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS SHOULD HAVE A NEW AND EXPANDED ROLE. HIS MAIN TASK WILL BE TO THAT, ONCE THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION EXERCISE IS COMPLETED, THE WORKS
PROGRAMME IS IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY REGARD TO THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HIM.
ENSURE
PUBLIC
HAVING
ASSIST
"THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, HOWEVER, IS ONLY ONE MAN. TO HIM IN THE COMPLEX TASK OF CO-ORDINATING THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, NEW PUBLIC WORKS PROGRESS COMMITTER HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
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"THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS CHAIRS THIS COMMITTEE. ALL OF THE POLICY BRANCHES WITH DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WILL BE REPRESENTED. IN ADDITION, THE DIRECTORS OF THE VARIOUS WORKS DEPARTMENTS WILL APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WHEN ITEMS OF DIRECT RELEVANCE TO THEM ARE TO BE DISCUSSED.
"THE PUBLIC