XN000022-1982-11-10 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1982

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SLOWER GROWTH PLANNED FOR CIVIL SERVICE

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HONG KONG IS A DEVELOPING AND GROWING SOCIETY AND THE CIVIL SERVICE MUST IN CONSEQUENCE GROW IN ORDER TO MEET DEMANDS FOR NEW, EXPANDED AND IMPROVED SERVICES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON MARTIN ROWLANDS SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HOWEVER, THE RATE OF GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IN RECENT YEARS HAD BECOME A CAUSE OF CONCERN AND IT WAS NOW APPROPRIATE TO APPLY A TOUCH OF THE BRAKE, HE ADDED.

MR ROWLANDS SAID THE PROPOSED SLOW DOWN OF GROWTH, AT FOUR TO FIVE PER CENT THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, WOULD STILL PERMIT THE CREATION OF SEVERAL THOUSAND NEW POSTS, WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO THOSE REQUIRED TO MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES.

+THERE IS NO INTENTION THAT EITHER THE EXTENT OR QUALITY OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC SHOULD SUFFER, HE SAID.

MR ROWLANDS SAID HE FULLY ENDORSED THE REMARK MADE BY THE HON LO TAK-SHING THAT IN SLOWING DOWN THE GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE WE SHOULD NOT STIFLE THE DIRECTORATE AND PREVENT IT FROM HAVING AN APPROPRIATE SENSE OF BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF ITS PART IN THE VARIOUS PROGRAMME AREA+.

+CERTAINLY, ANY ADJUSTMENT TO GROWTH RATES MUST NOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR FAILING TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT AGREED PROGRAMMES,

+RATHER WOULD I HOPE THAT IT WILL PROVIDE A STIMULUS FOR DEPARTMENTS TO SEARCH VIGOROUSLY FOR WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THEIR PROGRAMMES WITHIN EXISTING STAFF RESOURCES,+ HE SAID.

ON THE HON WONG PO YAN'S REFERENCE TO THE NEED TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF CIVIL SERVANTS THROUGH IMPROVED STAFF MANAGEMENT, MR ROWLANDS SAID HE WAS CERTAIN THAT MR WONG WAS REFERRING TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AT THE INTERFACE WITH THE PUBLIC, AT THE POINT OF DELIVERY.

+REFLECTING ON HIS REMARK OVER THE PAST FORTNIGHT | FIND MYSELF WONDERING WHETHER PERHAPS WE HAVE DEVOTED TOO MUCH EFFORT, IN RELATIVE TERM, TO PERFECTING OUR INTERNAL CIVIL SERVICE PROCEDURES AND NOT ENOUGH TO MONITORING OUR PERFORMANCE AT THE POINT WHERE WE DELIVER SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

+ IF FURTHER STUDIES CONFIRM ME IN THIS VIEW, IT COULD HAVE QUITE CONSIDERABLE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY WE MANAGE THE CIVIL SERVICE AND MONITOR ITS ACTIVITIES+.

TURNING TO THE SHORTAGE OF TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS, MR ROWLANDS SAID A WORKING PARTY APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM HAD FOUND THAT THE UNDERLYING CAUSE WAS THAT THE DEMAND FOR TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS IN OUR RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SOCIETY HAD OUTSTRIPPED THE SUPPLY FROM THE UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.

/AS

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