XN000022-1976-11-11 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1976

SIR DENYS THEN SPOKE ON THE VITAL ROLE PLAYED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.

+THE ADMINISTRATION RELIES HEAVILY UPON THE ABILITY OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO ASSESS THE BELIEFS, NEEDS AND FEELINGS OF THE RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG AND ON THEIR ADVICE AS TO HOW BEST TO TRANSLATE THESE INTO PRACTICAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES, HE SAID.

*THE GOVERNMENT IS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE DANGER THAT AN UNCHANGING ADMINISTRATION SUCH AS OURS MIGHT BECOME UNFEELING AND INSENSITIVE. ONE OF THE MAIN TASKS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IS TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.

+SIMILARLY, IT IS VITAL THAT THE ORDINARY CITIZEN WITH A GRIEVANCE (AND INEVITABLY THERE WILL BE SOME WHO ARE AGGRIEVED BY WHAT THEY SEE AS UNFAIR OR INHUMAN TREATMENT BY AN IMPERSONAL MACHINE) SHOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN REDRESS AND TO SECURE

AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HIS CASE.+

SIR DENYS NOTED THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS DEVOTED HOURS OF TIME AND MUCH ANXIOUS CARE TO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF EVERY COMPLAINT WHICH REACHED THEM, FROM WHATEVER SOURCE.

+AS A RESULT OF THEIR EFFORTS, HE CONTINUED, +MISTAKES HAVE BEEN PUT RIGHT, INJUSTICES CORRECTED AND WRONGS HAVE BEEN RIGHTED.+

IN CONCLUSION, SIR DENYS EXPRESSED HIS SYMPATHY FOR HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, WHO HAD SEEN PLANS FOR EXPANSION TRIMMED AND THEIR AMBITIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVICES POSTPONED.

+THEY WILL, I KNOW, WARMLY WELCOME THE RECOVERY OF THE ECONOMY, AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THIS CAN BE REFLECTED IN AN EXPANSION OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND IN THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF ITS PROGRAMMES,+ HE SAID.

+THE PUBLIC SERVICE WILL NOW BEAR IN MIND THE NEED TO PURSUE VIGOROUSLY AND URGENTLY THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR WHICH FUNDS HAVE BEEN VOTED. WE MUST ENSURE THAT APPROVED PLANS AND WORKS KEEP TO THE TIME TABLES WHICH ARE SET FOR THEM.

+THIS WILL IMPOSE MANY EXTRA BURDENS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UPON CIVIL SERVANTS. I HAVE THE FULLEST CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL DISCHARGE THEM WITH THE SAME DEVOTION AND SKILL AS THEY HAVE SO OFTEN SHOWN IN THE PAST.+

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