XN000022-1974-05-08 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1974.

ASSURANCE ON CONTINUING HIGH LEVEL OF MEDICAL SERVICE DR CHOA DISPELS ERRONEOUS INTERPRETATION OF ECONOMY PLANNING ******

THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON. GERALD CHOA, GAVE AN ASSURANCE TODAY THAT THE PRESENT LEVELS OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WOULD BE MAINTAINED AND IMPROVED RATHER THAN LOWERED EITHER IN QUALITY OR QUANTITY.

HE WAS SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO THE HON. WILFRED WONG, WHO HAD ASKED FOR AN ASSURANCE THAT FINANCIAL RESTRICTIONS WOULD NOT AFFECT THE QUALITY OR QUANTITY OF MEDICINE, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT PRESCRIBED IN GOVERNMENT MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.+

DR. CHOA SAID HE WAS AWARE THAT CERTAIN CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS HAD UNFORTUNATELY CREATED THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HIGHT BE REDUCED OR CURTAILED.

+THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE, + HE EMPHASISED.

HE WENT ON-: +LIKE OTHER HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE OPTIMUM USE OF FUNDS ALLOCATED DURING THE YEAR IS ACHIEVED, HAVING DUE REGARD TO THE STANDARD AND LEVEL OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC.+

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE EXERCISE OF ECONOMY WHENEVER THIS WAS POSSIBLE WAS TO FURTHER SUCH AN AIM, AND SHOULD NOT BE MISCONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT TO LOWER STANDARDS EITHER OF QUALITY OR QUANTITY.+

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REVIEW ON IMPLEMENTATION OF MCKINSEY PROPOSALS

TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY *******

A WRITTEN REVIEW OF THE PROGRESS MADE SO FAR IN IMPLEMENTING THE MCKINSEY PROPOSALS WILL SOON BE PUBLISHED, THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. MICHAEL CLINTON, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON, LI FOOK-WO, MR. CLINTON NOTED THAT THE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS RECOGNISED IN THEIR FINAL REPORT THAT THE TASK OF IMPLEMENTING THEIR MAIN ORGANISATIONAL. PROPOSALS WOULD BE A FORMIDABLE ONE, WHICH HAD TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE DISRUPTION OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

+WE HAVE JUST COME TO. THE END OF THE NINE MONTHS WHICH THE CONSULTANTS ESTIMATED THESE TASK WOULD TAKE,+ SAID MR. CLINTON.

HE RECALLED THAT THE UNELCO MENBERS HAD BEEN FULLY BRIEFED AT A MEETING ON FEBRUARY 15 ON THE ENCOURAGING PROGRESS MADE, AND SINCE THEN A FURTHER PROGRESS REPORT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.

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