XN000022-1972-03-16 — Page 28

28

Thursday, March 16, 1972

"We have done it with water, is there any reason why we cannot

do it with the other services," he asked.

Mr. Lo urged Government to develop the draft Colony Outline Plan

which still remained a "conceptual document" into a "master plan" and

"Ito appoint a high power body" to carry out the implementation.

Commenting on the high cost of the Civil Service, Mr. Lo pointed out

that out of the $384 million increase in recurrent expenditure, Civil Service

emoluments accounted for 56 per cent of it.

"This represents a record of 22.5 per cent increase over the

previous year."

Better Management

"I do not think that our civil servants are being overpaid.

In fact, having the privilege of serving in the last Salaries Commission,

I am quite satisfied that they are not.

"But even with my superficial observation in the course of our

visits and exchange of views with the various departments, I am of the

opinion that efficiency and productivity can be improved with better

management, he said.

"

A great deal of this had to do with better organisation, supervision,

training, simplification and mechanisation, and some assistance from outside

management consultants would be most useful, he added.

Commenting on the Agriculture and Fisheries Department's small

allocation of the Budget for research and developmental work, Mr. Lo said

that he had pointed out last year that over 90 per cent of the Budget was

spent on administration and less than 10 per cent on the productive side.

"I find ...