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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994
FIRST-CLASS ADMINISTRATION KEY TO FLOURISHING ECONOMY
* * * * *
OWN
THE
ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BEGIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TOLD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT ITS 1994/95 OPENING SESSION THIS (WEDNESDAY} AFTERNOON.
"WE CANNOT EXPECT HONG KONG'S FIRST-WORLD ECONOMY ΤΟ GO ON
UNLESS ITS GOVERNMENT HAS A RECORD OF PERFORMANCE
ΤΟ
FLOURISHING
MATCH.
"WE
MORE
HAVE RECOGNISED THE NEED TO PROVIDE A MORE PROFESSIONAL, ACCOUNTABLE, MORE RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT,'
I
HE SAID.
FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROVIDE
THE
FOR
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONER COMPLAINTS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND EXPANDED ΤΟ GOVERNMENT'S CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS WITH AN INDEPENDENT PROCEDURE INVESTIGATING AND FOR REDRESSING GRIEVANCES, HE SAID.
THE
SPECIALISED ORGANISATIONS, LIKE THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND MONETARY AUTHORITY, HAVE BEEN SET UP TO ACHIEVE NEW STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DEVELOPED NEW AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMES TO TACKLE PRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. FOR INSTANCE, INTEGRATED MEASURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO MEET THE HEALTH, HOUSING AND FINANCIAL NERDS OF THE ELDERLY.
RESPONDING TO GROWING COMMUNITY INTEREST IN THE ARTS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS TO TURN THE HONG KONG ARTS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL INTO AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODY, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE HONG KONG ACADEMY THE PERFORMING ARTS AND A WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, MR
PATTEN SAID.
"IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, EVERY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT WHICH SERVES THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY HAS PUBLISHED 'PERFORMANCE PLEDGES' SETTING OUT EXACTLY WHAT STANDARDS OF SERVICE THE COMMUNITY HAS A RIGHT ΤΟ EXPECT," HE SAID.
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