XN000022-1981-03-25 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1981

TURNING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, MISS DUNN SAID SHE WAS WORRIED THAT THE SERVICE IS STILL UNDERMAÑAGED.

SHE NOTED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE POLICY SECRETARY CONCEPT IN 1974 WAS THE ONLY MAJOR REFORM OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM IN RECENT YEARS. THE SIZE OF THE SECRETARIAT HAS INCREASED RAPIDLY SINCE THEN.

THERE ARE NOW AS MANY AS 85 DIRECTORATE POSTS IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, WHICH IS THREE TIMES THE NUMBER IN THE EARLY 1970S.

BUT SHE QUESTIONED: + IS THE CONCEPT OF A CENTRAL SECRETARIAT STILL RELEVANT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MODERN HONG KONG? IF SO, ARE THE STAFF THERE CORRECTLY DEPLOYED? ARE THEY IN SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE CONTACT WITH EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS?+

+PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR SOME RECASTING OF THE CENTRAL MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT AND A REAPPRAISAL OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICY SECRETARIES AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, THE LATTER SOMETIMES FEELING, PERHAPS, OUT OF TOUCH WITH LOWER ALBERT ROAD, SHE ADDED.

MISS DUNN ALSO OBSERVED THAT THERE ARE STRESSES AND STRAINS AT THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL DUE TO THE RANGE AND COMPLEXITY OF PROBLEMS WITH WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE HAVING TO GRAPPLE.

SHE RECOGNISED THAT THE GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR ECONOMY, AND THE NEW FOUND SOPHISTICATION OF OUR SOCIETY, MEAN THAT STRESSES AND STRAINS WILL EMERGE, PARTICULARLY AS THERE IS A LIMIT TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT CAN BE ANTICIPATORY.

+BUT THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE A LACK OF PERCEPTION AND A SLUGGISHNESS OF RESPONSE: AT THE RISK OF STATING THE OBVIOUS, BUT THE OBVIOUS IS SO EASILY OVERLOOKED, INTERNAL DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS NEED TO BE REVIEWED FREQUENTLY AND ADAPTED AND REINFORCED APPROPRIATELY.+

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE EVOLVING ROLE OF UNOFFICIALS FOR THE MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT ALSO NEED TO BE THOUGHT OUT, SHE SAID.

THE COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES ON WHICH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AS A BODY HAVE TO ADVISE AND TAKE A VIEW IS NOW SUCH THAT SOME STRENGTHENING OF THE UMELCO OFFICE IS REQUIRED.

ON THE BUDGET ITSELF, MISS DUNN NOTED THAT THE GROWTH RATE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY IN EXCESS OF THE GROWTH RATE OF OUR ECONOMY FOR FIVE YEARS AND IS PLANNED TO BE SO AGAIN IN 1981-82.

SHE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE GROWING, AND RATHER ALARMING, INABILITY ON THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PART TO PUT THEORY INTO PRACTICE+.

QUOTING STATISTICS, MISS DUNN POINTED OUT THE RELATIVE SIZE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR WILL BE AS LARGE AS 22.4 PER CENT IN 1981-82. HAVING BEEN ONLY 14.2 PER CENT IN 1976-77 AND 13 PER CENT IN 1970-71.