XN000022-1979-11-15 — Page 15

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979

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HE ALSO ASSURED THAT HER CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE DEFICIENCIES IN THE DISTRICT WOULD RECEIVE EARLY ATTENTION OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND THAT PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT WILL ALSO BE ASKED TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.+

IN REPLY TO A POINT BY THE HON. WONG LAM THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE MORE IN SEEKING OPINIONS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, MR. WALDEN SAID EVERY EFFORT HAD BEEN MADE TO SOLICIT THE VIEWS OF THE SILENT MAJORITY.

REFERRING TO MR. WONG'S WARNING ABOUT PROLIFERATION OF STAFF BY THE OPERATION OF PARKINSON'S LAW, MR. WALDEN SIAD +THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN AND AS A FURTHER REASSURANCE TO HIM ON THIS POINT I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHERS IN THIS CHAMBER WHO WILL SEE TO IT THAT THE KWUN TONG GRIFFIN DOES NOT EASILY EVADE THE BEECHER'S BROOK OF BUDGETARY STRATEGY.+

FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK IS NOT APPROPRIATE AT PRESENT ******

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO CONSIDER SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING WORKERS' CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT; BUT IN THE PRESENT STATE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, IT WILL NOT MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE TO INTRODUCE A FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK GENERALLY, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. E.P. HO SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. HO SAID AT PRESENT, IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, MOST OFFICE WORKERS WORK FEWER HOURS A DAY AND FEWER DAYS A WEEK THAN INDUSTRIAL WORKERS.

+TO INTRODUCE A FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK FOR OFFICE WORKERS ONLY WOULD ACCENTUATE THE EXISTING DISPARITY IN WORKING HOURS BETWEEN OFFICE AND INDUSTRIAL WORKERS AND GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ANXIOUS NOT TO WIDEN THESE DIFFERENCES ON THE CONTRARY, OUR ULTIMATE AIM MUST BE TO NARROW THE GAP,+ HE SAID.

AS REGARDS THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. HO SAID ONE OF ITS PRIMARY ROLES IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC. +IT IS THUS EVIDENT THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICES MUST REMAIN OPEN ON SATURDAYS AS LONG AS THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES CONTINUES TO WORK THOSE HOURS.✦

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ONLY A VERY SMALL PART OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COULD SWITCH OVER TO A FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK WITHOUT SOME CURTAILMENT OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

HE SAID A FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK IS NOT AT ALL COMMON AMONG OUR NEIGHBOURS IN ASIA EXCEPT PERHAPS IN JAPAN WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS MORE ADVANCED THAN ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION INCLUDING HONG KONG.

/+EVEN SO