XN000022-1982-01-06 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1982

THE POLICY WAS LAID DOWN BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL IN MAY 1976 AND NECESSARY LEGISLATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PASSED IN THIS COUNCIL.

MR SCOTT SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE OF AND SYMPATHISED WITH THE HOPE THAT NT TAXIS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRAVEL FOR EXAMPLE

INTO THE MIDDLE OF SHA TIN- BUT FOR THE REASONS GIVEN, HE DID NOT SEE IT AS PRACTICABLE.

+ THE SITUATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED DURING 1982 AS THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KCR COMES INTO EFFECT, AND WITH THE OPENING OF THE MTR TSUEN WAN EXTENSION.

+THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ALSO RELEASE BUSES FROM THE CORRIDOR ROUTES FOR DEPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, + HE SAID.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE REPORT TABLED

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THE FOURTH REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE WAS TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

COMMENTING ON THE REPORT, THE HON S.L. CHEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, THANKED THE BRANCH SECRETARIES AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WHO GAVE EVIDENCE TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE ITEMS RELEVANT TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THEIR POSITIVE AND CO-OPERATIVE APPROACH.

+WE CONSIDER IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMITTEE TO MONITOR PROGRESS ON REMEDYING WEAKNESSES IN THE BUREAUCRATIC MACHINERY AND THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, WHICH ARE BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT AND OUR REPORT, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IS BEING DONE, HE SAID.

+WE ALSO CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL THAT THE AUDIT OF THE ACCOUNTS OF THE GOVERNMENT IS CARRIED OUT TO THE REASONABLE SATISFACTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT.+

MR CHAN HOPED THAT MORE ATTENTION WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE VAST NUMBER OF PUBLIC BODIES AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES +WHO ARE SHARING A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL SLICE OF THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE+.

+AS IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THEY ARE ALSO ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF THEIR FUNDS, + HE SAID.

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