XN000022-1976-03-24 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1976

DECENTRALISATION OF REVENUE-EARNING DEPARTMENTS

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THE HON, LI FOOK-WO TODAY STRONGLY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT A HIGH-POWERED COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, CIVIL SERVANTS AND BUSINESSMEN, TO MAKE A FULL FEASIBILITY STUDY OF DECENTRALISATION OF REVENUE-EARNING DEPARTMENTS.

THIS WAS ONE OF SEVERAL MEASURES MR. LI ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT TO IMPROVE COST-EFFICIENCY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WHEN HE SPOKE IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.

MR. LI SAID, HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIONS TO DECENTRALISATION HAD REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SPOKE ON IT IN THE 1973 BUDGET DEBATE.

+SURELY, AT THIS JUNCTURE, WHEN WAYS AND MEANS OF INCREASING REVENUE ARE OF SUCH UTMOST IMPORTANCE, IT IS MOST TIMELY FOR GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE THIS DOGMATIC ATTITUDE AND REVIEW THE SITUATION,+ HE SAID.

WHILE HE AGREED THAT STRONG CENTRAL CONTROL WAS NECESSARY TO ALLOW FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF RESOURCES AND KEEPING OVERHEAD LOW, HE DID NOT FEEL THE OVERALL PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AUTONOMOUS BODIES.

CITING THE MASS TRANSIT AUTHORITY. THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS EXAMPLES, MR. LI SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT STILL MAINTAINED A STRONG BUT DETACHED CONTROL OVER THESE THREE BODIES.

ANOTHER MEASURE MR. LI SUGGESTED TO ENSURE THERE WAS NO EXTRAVAGANCE OR WASTAGE IN THE SPENDING OF PUBLIC FUNDS WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TEAM TO MONITOR DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURE AFTER APPROVAL IN THE ESTIMATES.

AT PRESENT, HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS ARE +VIRTUALLY FREE+ TO SPEND THE FUNDS, PROVIDED THE MONEY IS SPENT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS NOT EXCEEDED.

MR. LI STRESSED THE NEED TO IMPRESS ON THEM AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS THAT THEY BORE THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY OF ENSURING THAT THE MONEY VOTED TO THE IR DEPARTMENT WAS PROPERLY SPENT,

+A DEPARTMENT HEAD IS NOT MERELY RESPONSIBLE TO SOMEONE IN THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT HE IS ALSO ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS, + HE SAID.

AS A COMPLEMENTARY STEP, MR. LI PROPOSED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SMALL INTERNAL MONITORING TEAMS WITHIN THE HEADQUARTERS OF EACH DEPARTMENT, WHICH WOULD BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD HIMSELF,

/+IT SHOULD