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THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1994
NOW FOR MY EXPERIENCE. I USED TO HAVE A RATHER SIMILAR JOR TO MR SECRETARY EASON'S AND I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH A PORTFOLIO AS WIDE AS THAT, THOUGH I THINK THE PRESENT SECRETARY HAS MANAGED THE TASK HEROICALLY BUT IT DOES COVER, PARTICULARLY NOW THAT THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND USE PLANNING ARE SUCH PRIORITY AREAS FOR EVERYONE, IT DOES COVER A HUGE AREA. IF YOU ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT EVERY INDICATOR OF PUBLIC OPINION SUGGESTS THAT HOUSING IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, THEN I THINK IT'S A BIT ODD THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ADJUST TO THAT IN [TS OWN INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND I THINK THEREFORE THAT WE'RE RIGHT AND SENSIBLE то MAKE THIS PROPOSAL. AS I SAID IT ISN'T OUR INTENTION THAT THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING SHOULD IN ANY WAY TAKE AWAY FROM THE RESPONSIBILITIES OR ROLE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND IT'S CHAIRMAN. BUT THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING SHOULD PROVIDE A FOCUS IN GOVERNMENT FOR CONCERN ABOUT PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HOUSING. I THINK THAT THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING WILL VERY OFTEN BE A DEMANDER, WILL VERY OFTEN FIND HIMSELF ARGUING THE CORNER FOR HOUSING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. BUT THAT'S NOT CURIOUS OR NEW, ANY SECRETARY FINDS HIMSELF HAVING TO CO-ORDINATE WITH HIS COLLEAGUES WHERE THERE ARE OVERLAPPING RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMON FRONTIERS.
NO I THINK THE NEW ARRANGEMENT WOULD WORK BUT OBVIOUSLY THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WITH HIS EXPERIENCE WILL HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF DETAILED QUESTIONING WHEN WE COME TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH OUR PROPOSALS ON THE NEW BRANCH AND THE NEW SECRETARIAT AND I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE ANSWER THEM TO HIS SATISFACTION.
то
A
I REPRAT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IN GOVERNMENT FOCUS FOR THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERN ABOUT HOUSING AND I'M SURE A SECRETARY FOR HOUSING WILL PERHAPS FIND HIMSELF OR HERSELF TAKING GREATER ACCOUNT OF THE PRIVATE SECRETARY CONTRIBUTION THAN THE CASE IN THE PAST.
HAS BEEN
NR LEE WING-TAT (THROUGH INTERPRETER): A SHORT FOLLOW-UP. I DON'T THINK MR GOVERNOR YOU HAVE DIRECTLY ANSWERED MY QUESTION, MY QUESTION
IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE. THE NEW SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, AS CANNOT MAKE A DECISION ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT POLICY.
PROPOSED, REGARDING
THE THE
THE POLICIES ARE STILL TO BE FORMULATED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT BUT THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING WILL HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM BY LEGCO CONCERNING HOUSING POLICIES. SO I DON'T SEE JUSTIFICATION IN THE ARRANGEMENT. HE HAS NOT PARTICIPATED IN FORMULATION OF POLICY BUT HE HAS TO BE ANSWERABLE TO US CONCERNING
DON'T YOU FIND THAT ARRANGEMENT VERY ODD?
THOSE POLICIES.
GOVERNOR: BUT I THINK, WITH RESPECT TO THE HONOURABLE MEMBER, THAT WE COULD BOTH OF US, GIVEN A SHORT TIME IN THE PAVILION, THINK OF OTHER EXAMPLES OF SECRETARY'S ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN THIS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF BODIES OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT FOR WHICH THEY HAVE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY BUT ON WHOSE GOVERNING COUNCIL THEY DON'T SERVE. FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK YOU'LL HAVE NOTED THAT OUR SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE VERY OFTEN FINDS HERSELF ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND DOING IT VERY WELL BUT THERE ARE I THINK SIMILAR INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ELSEWHERE. SO I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE A UNIQUE PROBLEM BUT I REPEAT THAT OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE COME TO EXPLAIN OUR PROPOSALS TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN DUE COURSE, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE CONVINCING ANSWERS FOR THE HONOURABLE MEMBER.
/DR CONRAD LAM