XN000022-1977-04-20 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977

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+ IF WE TAKE A PARTICULAR VIEW OF WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A REALISTIC LEVEL OF PROVISION, WE CAN BE AND FREQUENTLY ARE ACCUSED OF EXERCISING UNNECESSARY RESTRAINT. IF WE VEER TOWARDS A LESS REALISTIC VIEW AND UNDERSPENDING RESULTS, WE STILL GET INTO TROUBLE.+

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY RECALLED THE TWO PROCEDURAL CHANGES INTRODUCED IN MID-1976 AND IN APRIL THIS YEAR, ADDING THAT THESE SHOULD PROVE HELPFUL IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

FIRSTLY, BEGINNING FROM MID-1976, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WAS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY SAVINGS ON OTHER PROJECTS WHEN APPLYING FOR SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDS FOR AN EXISTING OR NEW PROJECT.

WHILE IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO DO SO, ON GENERAL ECONOMIC AND POLICY GROUNDS, HE SAID, IT HAD ALSO THE UNFORESEEN EFFECT OF INDUCING A MARKED DEGREE OF CAUTION ON THE PART OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF IDENTIFYING SAVINGS.

THE RESULT WAS THAT WORKS DID NOT PROCEED AS FAST AS THE TOTAL PROVISION AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WOULD HAVE PERMITTED.

SECONDLY, AS FROM 1977-78, PROJECTS WHICH ARE IN CATEGORY A AND HAVE INDIVIDUALLY BEEN AUTHORISED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ALREADY NO LONGER HAVE TO AWAIT THE ENACTMENT OF THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE. HENCE NEW COMMITMENTS MIGHT BE ENTERED INTO AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.

PREVIOUSLY, IN 1975, A BAN WAS IMPOSED ON DEPARTMENTS FROM ENTERING IN NEW COMMITMENTS UNTIL THE ENACTMENT OF THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE.

ON STAFFING AND ORGANISATION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY RECALLED THAT APPROVAL HAD BEEN GIVEN LAST YEAR TO THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN POSTS IN BOTH THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WHICH SHOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE SPEED OF PROGRESS WITH PUBLIC HOUSING AND NEW TOWN PROJECTS.

HE ADDED THAT THE ORGANISATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTS IN DEPARTMENTS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING REVIEWED BY THE FINANCE BRANCH. THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL IN THE CIVIL SERVICE ARE ALSO CONCERNED TO STRIVE CONTINUOUSLY FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND COST EFFICIENCY, HE SAID. PROPOSALS TO THIS EFFECT WILL SOON BE MADE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT SUB-COMMITTEE.

ON MONITORING PROCEDURES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY EMPHASISED THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME IN HONG KONG IS +WELL DOCUMENTED+ AND THAT THERE IS AMPLE MATERIAL TO FORM A BASIS FOR MONITORING.

/HE SAID