XN000022-1981-11-11 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1981

REORGANISATION PLAN

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JACK CATER TODAY ANNOUNCED THE INTRODUCTION OF A SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITOR IES ADMINISTRATION TO DEAL WITH DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.

THIS WILL INVOLVE A FULL REORGANISATION OF THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

WINDING UP THE POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR JACK SAID THE REORGANISATION IS TO GIVE THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME THE NECESSARY THRUST AND COORDINATION.

IN ANNOUNCING THESE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, SIR JACK STRESSED THAT THE HUMAN EMPHASIS OF THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT OFFICES, WHETHER IN URBAN AREAS OR IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, WILL NOT BE LOST.

+ INDEED, THESE OFFICES MUST REMAIN APPROACHABLE, AND CONSTANTLY CONCERNED FOR THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICTS. THE IR RESPONSIBILITIES IN THESE ASPECTS ARE IN NO WAY LESSENED BY THE CHANGES PROPOSED, HE SAID.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY AMPLIFIED THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ABOUT THE REORGANISATION OF THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, WILL HAND OVER TO THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT. MR AKERS-JONES WILL THUS BECOME THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS WILL ASSUME POLICY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION MATTERS, WITH EFFECT FROM DECEMBER 1 FROM THE PRESENT SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION, MR ALAN SCOTT. THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS WILL CONTINUE AS THE GOVERNMENT'S SENIOR ADVISER ON CHINESE AFFAIRS. HE WILL ALSO TAKE OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MR JAN MACPHERSON.

TO ASSIST HIM IN HIS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR AKERS-JONES WILL HAVE TWO REGIONAL SECRETARIES. THE REGIONAL SECRETARY (CITY) WILL BE MR GRAHAM BARNES, AT PRESENT THE DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS. THE POST OF DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS WILL LAPSE. ON THE NEW TERRITORIES SIDE. MR MACPHERSON WILL BECOME REGIONAL SECRETARY (NEW TERRITORIES). BOTH HE AND MR BARNES WILL CONTINUE AS MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

/MR BRAY WILL