XN000022-1978-03-29 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978

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LOBO EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER GOVERNMENT'S

MANAGEMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE

****

THE HON. ROGER LOBO TODAY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S MANAGEMENT OF THE 126,000 STRONG CIVIL SERVICE WHICH HE SAID REPRESENTS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY THE ASPIRATIONS AND AIMS OF PERHAPS HALF A MILLION PEOPLE.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT CASES OF DISPUTE WITHIN THE SERVICE ARE NO LONGER RARE AND REFERRED TO DISSATISFACTION EXPRESSED BY THE SENIOR NON-EXPATRIATE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, GOVERNMENT STENOGRAPHERS, SOCIAL WELFARE WORKERS, AND THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT+ LAST NOVEMBER WHICH INVOLVED, AS HAS SINCE BEEN POINTED OUT HE SAID, +A QUESTION OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT+.

MR. LOBO POINTED OUT THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER THIS UPSURGE IN THE NUMBER OF DISPUTES REFLECTS GROWING DISSATISFACTION GENERALLY WITHIN THE SERVICE, STRONG MINDED MINORITY GROUPS EXERCISING THEIR INFLUENCE, OR OPPORTUNISM ON THE PART OF THOSE ALREADY EATING FROM IRON RICE BOWLS'.

IT COULD BE CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIFFERENCES OR IT COULD BE THAT CIVIL SERVANTS, PARTICULARLY AT THE JUNIOR LEVELS, ARE NOW GENERALLY BETTER EDUCATED AND THUS INCLINED TO BE MORE VOCAL.

ALL THE SAME, HE THOUGHT THERE ARE STRONG GROUNDS FOR CONSIDER ING WHETHER SUFFICIENT ATTENTION IS PAID AT THE VARIOUS SUPERVISORY LEVELS OF DEPARTMENTS TO THE VITAL AREA OF STAFF RELATIONS.

HE SAID WE HAVE COMMISSIONED SOPHISTICATED AND COSTLY STUDIES OF THE POLICY-MAKING AND DECISION-MAKING MACHINERY OF THE GOVERNMENT BUT MUST HAVE AN EQUALLY SOPHISTICATED APPROACH TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LARGE STAFF WHICH CARRY OUT THESE POLICIES AND DECISIONS.

HE DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH OF THE SECRETARIAT, WHICH PLAYS THE PART OF PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT TO THE GOVERNMENT, HAS FORMAL MACHINERY FOR +KEEPING ITS FINGER ON 126,000 PULSES, BUT CLEARLY THAT FINGER HAS PEEN LIFTED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION+.

HE EMPHASISED THE NEED TO SUSTAIN MORALE AND FOSTER INCENTIVE WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE. IT HAS OFTEN BEEN FOUND THAT GRIEVANCES EXPRESSED IN TERMS CF PAY COMPARISONS OR PROMOTION PROSPECTS HAVE THE IR ROOTS IN A GENERAL FEELING OF NEGLECT' AND OF BELONGING TO A LARGE MACHINE, HE EXPLAINED.

HE WARNED THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE STAFF RELATIONS CANNOT BE IGNORED OR HANDLED HAPHAZARDLY AND POINTED OUT THAT PROPER PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT COULD DO MUCH TO ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS AND TO RELIEVE THEM, AS WELL AS TO MAKE THE PUBLIC SERVICE MORE EFFECTIVE.

/HE RAISED

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