WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993
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SO FAR, SEVEN DEPARTMENTS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR REVIEW OF SOME 600 FORMS, OF WHICH 25 HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED AND 187 HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.
"CIVIL SERVANTS TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE
BEST QUALITY OF SERVICE THEY CAN.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN GIVE OF HIS OR HER BEST IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, HE SAID.
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PAYING TRIBUTES TO HIS SENIOR COLLEAGUES WHO APPEARED REGULARLY IN THE LEGCO CHAMBER AND IN ITS COMMITTEE ROOMS, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS WORTH REMEMBERING THAT NONE OF THEM HAD JOINED THE PUBLIC SERVICE THINKING THAT THEY WOULD NEED ΤΟ BECOME POLITICIANS AND
ADMINISTRATORS.
"BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF MR ANDREW WONG'S PREFERRED SOLUTION OF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM, POLITICIANS WE HAVE HAD TO BECOME.
"NO ONE SHOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN THIS HAS PLACED ON SENIOR OFFICERS, PARTICULARLY THE POLICY SECRETARIES," SIR DAVID SAID.
"BUT I CAN SAY WITH REAL CONFIDENCE THAT ALL
OF US READILY UNDERSTAND THAT ACCOUNTABILITY AND OPENNESS ARE AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT OF ANY DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM; AND I CAN PLEDGE TO MEMBERS THAT IN SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WE IN THE ADMINISTRATION WILL DO OUR VERY BEST TO UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLES OF OPENNESS, FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY," HE SAID.
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SANDWICH CLASS HOUSING SCHEME EXPLAINED
THE
GOVERNMENT HAS AN OPEN MIND ON HOW TO ACH LEVE COST EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE $2 BILLION PROPOSED FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INTERIM SCHEME FOR SANDWICH CLASS HOUSING.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BUDGET IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HOWEVER, MR EASON POINTED OUT THAT THERE IS A NEED TO KEEP THE NUMBER OF BENRFICIARIES UNDER THE INTERIM SCHEME WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITS SINCE CASTING THE NET OF THE INTERIM SCHEME TOO WIDE MIGHT PUSH UP PROPERTY PRICES.
"THIS IS BECAUSE, IN THE SHORT TERM, WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO RELY ON THE EXISTING STOCK OF FLATS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR," HE SAID.
MR EASON SAID THERE IS NO QUESTION OF ROBBING THE BENEFICIARIES OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMMES TO PAY THE SANDWICH CLASS.
"TO CREATE A SUDDEN SURGE OF SIGNIFICANT DEMAND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR COULD WELL, INFLATE PRICES. IT WOULD BE SELF-DEFEATING AND A DISSERVICE TO THE REMAINDER OF THE SANDWICH CLASS IF OUR SCHEME WERE TO RESULT IN INCREASED PRICES, HE SAID.
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