XN000022-1982-03-10 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982

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'DE-FEDERALISATION' SET FOR APRIL 1

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THE DE FEDERALISATION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 1, 1982, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

FROM THAT DATE, FIVE SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE FORMED - BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT, WATER SUPPLIES AND LANDS.

LATER ON THIS YEAR, SIR PHILIP SAID, A NEW ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD BE FORMED BY HIVING OFF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE FROM THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

ULTIMATELY, AN URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION WOULD ALSO BE HIVED OFF AND CONVERTED INTO ANOTHER SEPARATED DEPARTMENT ANALOGOUS TO THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

SIR PHILIP SAID THE URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION IS AT PRESENT LOCATED, AS A MATTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, WITHIN THE LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIÁT.

AS REGARDS THE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS ENVISAGED BETWEEN THE SEVERAL SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE LANDS AND WORKS GROUP, HE SAID THESE WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THOSE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE FEDERALISED PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

+HOWEVER, IN FUTURE, THE CO-ORDINATING AGENCY WILL BE THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, WORKING THROUGH THE LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, RATHER THAN THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, WORKING THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS.

+THE EXISTING NETWORK OF INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES WILL HAVE TO BE SOMEWHAT RESTRUCTURED TO REFLECT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS AND THIS WILL BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,+ SIR PHILIP SAID.

HE ADDED THAT ALTHOUGH THE LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH WOULD FUNCTION AS AN ORDINARY POLICY BRANCH WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, IT WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PERFORM CERTAIN RESIDUAL FUNCTIONS PREVIOUSLY UNDERTAKEN BY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS.

THESE FUNCTIONS INCLUDE THE FORMULATION AND REVIEW OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS, PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING, THE ASSESSMENT AND GRADING OF CONTRACTORS, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE MONITORING OF PROGRESS ON THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AS A WHOLE, HE ADDED.

MEANWHILE, THE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A MOTION BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY GIVING EFFECT TO THE DECISIONS TO SPLIT UP THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT INTO FOUR SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS AND TO CREATE A LANDS DEPARTMENT FROM APRIL 1.

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