XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 31

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

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ON THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, SIR MURRAY PRAISED THE COMMISSION FOR ITS ARDUOUS AND VERY VALUABLE WORK, FIRST UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR Y.K. KAN AND NOW UNDER SIR S.Y. CHUNG.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE COMMISSION'S REPORT ON IMPROVING CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WOULD BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.

THE REPORT WAS LIKELY TO HAVE GREAT AND LONG-TERM EFFECT AND +IT OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE BOTH THE FORMAL CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY AND THE INFORMAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN STAFF AND MANAGEMENT, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

SIR MURRAY ALSO NOTED THAT THE COMMISSION HAD IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES FOR ITS NEXT REVIEW. PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT WOULD BE ITS EXAMINATION OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF MAKING SERVICE-WIDE PAY ADUSTMENTS.

SINCE THE COMMISSION WAS A PERMANENT AND NOT A TEMPORARY BODY, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS ABLE TO REVIEW ITS OWN RECOMMENDATIONS AND, IN SOME CASES, IT HAD ALREADY DONE SO.

→SINCE CLEARLY IT WOULD NOT BE HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO GET SO MANY INTERRELATED RECOMMENDATIONS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT FIRST TIME, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN NEW FACTS ARE BROUGHT TO ITS ATTENTION, THIS CAPACITY TO REVIEW ITS OWN DECISIONS IS LIKELY TO PROVE ONE OF THE GREAT STRENGTHS OF THIS NEW ORGANISATION AND ONE WHICH SHOULD ALLOW THE STAFF SIDE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN IT, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY THANKED AND CONGRATULATED THE PUBLIC SERVICE. +THE EVER-EXPANDING SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE NEW HONG KONG THAT WE ARE BUILDING PLACES EVER-INCREASING BURDENS ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND PARTICULARLY ON ITS MORE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS, HE SAID.

+ I AM PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO THE SERVICE FOR THE ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION WITH WHICH THIS CHALLENGE HAS BEEN MET,+ HE ADDED.

GOVT SHOULD FINANCE ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES

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THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL HAS AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACCEPT THE FINANCING OF ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES AND RELATED TECHNICAL EDUCATION AS A CHARGE ON GENERAL REVENUE, BUT WITH TWO PROVISOS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE FIRST, HE SAID, WAS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF A BLOCK GRANT TO THE TRAINING COUNCIL OR TRAINING AUTHORITY, WHICH WOULD ASSUME A ROLE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY.

COMMITMENTS WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PERMIT FORWARD PLANNING.

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