XN000022-1981-10-28 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981

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NEED FOR SINGLE AUTHORITY STRESSED

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UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE HON S.L. CHEN HAS CALLED FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A SINGLE OVERRIDING AUTHORITY FOR THE VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITY AREAS.

HE WAS COMMENTING ON THE MIS-MATCHES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A MATTER OF PARTICULAR CONCERN+.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SUCH MIS-MATCHES NOT ONLY RESULTED IN HARDSHIP AND INCONVENIENCE, BUT COULD ALSO BE EXPENSIVE TO CORRECT.

+THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHY SUCH MIS-MATCHES WERE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?+ MR CHEN ASKED.

+MY GUESS IS THAT THEY HAVE ARISEN NOT MERELY BECAUSE OF LACK OF CO-ORDINATION BUT RATHER THE RESULT OF THE LACK OF A SINGLE OVERRIDING AUTHORITY FOR THE VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITY AREAS.+

QUOTING TRANSPORT PROBLEMS AS AN EXAMPLE, HE DESCRIBED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW TRANSPORT BRANCH AS BOTH +LOGICAL AND TIMELY+.

HOWEVER, FROM THE STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION OF THE TRANSPORT AND LANDS AND WORKS BRANCHES, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE NEW TRANSPORT BRANCH WOULD NOT BE GIVEN EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR TRANSPORT MATTERS, HE SAID.

+ THE BRANCH'S ROLE APPEARS TO BE ONLY ONE OF PLANNING AND CO-ORDINATING.

*THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRANSPORT WORKS RESTS WITH THE LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH OVER WHICH THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT WILL HAVE NO JURISDICTION. +

WHILE APPRECIATING THAT THE TRANSFER OF SOME STAFF FROM THE PWD'S HIGHWAYS OFF ICE TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT MIGHT STRENGTHEN THE DEPARTMENT, MR CHEN THOUGHT IT WOULD NOT VEST THE TRANSPORT BRANCH WITH THE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE - THAT WAS, FROM INITIAL PLANNING AND DESIGN TO THE ULTIMATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORKS PROGRAMME.

HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING THE ENTIRE HIGHWAYS OFF ICE TO COME UNDER THE TRANSPORT BRANCH.

+ THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT WILL THEN BECOME THE OVERRIDING AUTHORITY FOR ALL TRANSPORT MATTERS, HE ADDED.

BY THE SAME REASONING, MR CHEN CONTINUED, THE LANDS 'ARM' OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH SHOULD ALSO BE GIVEN THE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL LAND MATTERS.

/HE POINTED