XN000022-1979-04-01 — Page 4

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 1979

3.

RESPONDING TO CHANGING NEEDS

IN NEW TERRITORIES

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THE RENAMING OF THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT, ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR, BECAME EFFECTIVE TODAY (SUNDAY).

MR. H.S. GREWAL, WHO HEADED THE REGIONAL OFFICE AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR (NEW TERRITORIES) PRIOR TO THE RENAMING, ASSUMES THE TITLE OF DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES.

+THE REORGANISATION WILL HELP THE DEPARTMENT TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES ARISING FROM THE RAPID AND EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. GREWAL SAID.

AS TO WHY THE NEW DEPARTMENT WOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE AMBIT OF THE USD UNDER THE OVERALL CONTROL OF THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, MR. GREWAL POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE TWO OVERRIDING REASONS.

HE SAID: THE FIRST REASON IS THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN UNIFORMITY OF SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY AND THIS AIM CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IF THE TWO DEPARTMENTS WERE TO BE SEPARATED ALTOGETHER.

+ THE SECOND REASON IS THAT THE EFFECTIVE USE OF STAFF RESOURCES AND THE RELATED QUESTION OF STAFF MORALE AND STAFF RELATIONS DICTATE THAT THE DEPARTMENT REMAIN A UNIFIED WHOLE.+

HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT, ON REORGANISATION, THE NEW DEPARTMENT WILL COMPRISE FOUR MAIN DIVISIONS, INCLUDING THE ADMINISTRATION DIVISION, THE CULTURAL SERVICES DIVISION, THE ENVIROMENTAL HYGIENE DIVISION AND THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION PLUS A MEDICAL ADVISORY SECTION.

+AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ORGANISATION. THERE IS THE INTENTION TO ESTABLISH TWO REGIONAL OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES - THE REGIONAL OFFICE (NORTH) AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE (SOUTH) WHICH WILL ASSUME OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF DEPARTMENTAL SERVICES ON A REGIONAL BASIS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CULTURAL SERVICES AND CERTAIN OTHER SERVICES WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BE ADMINISTERED CENTRALLY, HE SAID.

THE NORTH REGION WILL COVER TAI PO, TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG WHEREAS THE SOUTH REGION WILL COVER TSUEN WAN, KWAI CHUNG, SHA TIN, SAI KUNG AND THE ISLANDS.

+ASSUMING THAT ALL THE POSTS ASKED FOR ARE APPROVED, THE CULTURAL SERVICES DIVISION, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AND THE TWO REGIONAL OFFICES WILL EACH BE HEADED BY AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,+ MR. GREWAL ADDED.

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