XN000022-1982-03-24 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1982

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+ DO NOT INTEND TO ELABORATE ON THE METHODS OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION DURING THIS BUDGET DEBATE BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THIS MATTER AND INCREASE EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION.

MR WONG ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE UNDUE EXPANSION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT, ESPECIALLY AT THE DIRECTORATE LEVEL.

QUOTING STATISTICS, HE SAID THE CIVIL SERVICE HAS INCREASED FROM 94 417 POSTS IN 1971-72 TO 166 030 IN 1982-83. THE INCREASE RATE FOR 1982-83 IS 9.4 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE ANNUAL INCREASE OF SIX PER CENT FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

THE EXPANSION OF THE DIRECTORATE IS EVEN MORE SHOCKING, HE POINTED OUT.

+EXCEPT FOR THE MID AND LATE 70'S WHEN ECONOMIC RECESSION RESULTED IN SMALLER INCREASES, THE EARLY YEARS OF BOTH THE 70'S AND 80'S WITNESSED TWO-DIGIT INCREASES, ESPECIALLY IN 1980-81 AND THE EARLY PART OF 1982 WHEN THE RATES WENT UP TO ABOUT 22 AND 19 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY.

+ IN OTHER WORDS, THE EXPANSION OF THE DIRECTORATE HAS BEEN FAR MORE RAPID.

+ALTHOUGH AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL ABLE TO AFFORD SO LARGE AN ESTABLISHMENT AND SUCH RAPID EXPANSION, IN THE LONG RUN, HOWEVER, PROBLEMS WILL SURELY ARISE, HE WARNED.

MR WONG CONSIDERED THE ENTIRE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND RANKS OF ALL POSTS WERE +OVER INFLATED+ AND THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEES IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING EFFECTIVELY.

HE CALLED ON GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO CONDUCT PERIODICAL SELF-REVIEWS OF THE IR PERFORMANCES SO AS TO IMPROVE THE IR EFFICIENCY.

THERE SHOULD ALSO BE BETTER CONNECTION AND CO-ORDINATION AMONG GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO SAVE UNNECESSARY EXPENSES, HE ADDED.

MR WONG ALSO NOTED THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD MADE CANDID REMARKS IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND ITS SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION IN RECENT YEARS.

BUT HE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY STILL APPROVES AN INCREASE OF SOME 14 200 POSTS FOR 1982-83.

+AS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY PUTS IT

-

MERELY THROWING MONEY

AT PROBLEMS SOLVES NOTHING IN THE LONG RUN - I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT MERELY INCREASING STAFF RESOURCES SOLVES NOTHING IN THE LONG RUN EITHER,+ SAID MR WONG.

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