XN000022-1983-04-14 — Page 17

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1983

+ INDEED IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT PRECISELY BECAUSE THE OUTPUT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IS NOT GENERALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO MEASURES OF PRODUCTIVITY, SO IT IS MORE THAN EVER NECESSARY TO SUBJECT THE PROCESSES WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE TO THE DISCIPLINE OR PRODUCTIVITY MEASURES, HE ADDED.

HE SAID THAT THERE WAS HERE +AN ASPECT OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT WHICH NEEDED TO BE EXPLORED WITH RENEWED VIGOUR AND WITH AN EYE TO INNOVATION+.

HE SAID THAT IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED IN AN ORGANISATION AS BIG AS THE CIVIL SERVICE WITHOUT A GREAT DEAL OF PREPARATORY GROUNDWORK AIMED AT IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE SERVICE IN ALL ITS ASPECTS.

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IT WAS, HE THOUGHT, IMPORTANT TO VIEW WHAT WAS BEING NOW DONE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, +BECAUSE ANY SUCCESS THAT ATTENDS OUR EFFORTS IN TIME FUTURE WILL FLOW FROM MEASURES TAKEN IN TIME PAST+.

MR ROWLANDS SAID THAT PERHAPS THE KEY STEP TAKEN WAS THE SETTING UP IN 1979 OF THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE.

+THE ADVICE CONTAINED IN THE SUCCESSION OF STANDING COMMISSION REPORTS SINCE THEN HAS GIVEN THE SERVICE A GRADE STRUCTURE WHICH IS NOW FACILITATING MOVES TOWARDS GREATER EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY,

+WE REALLY ARE INDEBTED TO THE STANDING COMMISSION FOR THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE, HE SAID.

MR ROWLANDS POINTED OUT THAT IN 1980 THE SERVICE EMBARKED ON A PROGRAMME OF STRENGTHENING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO BETTER ENABLE THEM TO DISCHARGE THE IR MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS.

IN 1981, THE SERVICE EMBARKED, WITH THE ADVICE OF THE STANDING COMMISSION, ON SERVICE-WIDE IMPROVEMENTS TO STAFF CONSULTATION AND TO ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANDLING STAFF RELATIONS GENERALLY.

DURING 1982, IT PLACED PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES AIMED AT STAFF ENGAGED IN SUPERVISORY ROLES AND IN STAFF MANAGEMENT WORK.

+FOR 1983, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO LAY STRESS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY AT THE POINT OF DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.

MR ROWLANDS SAID THAT THE SERVICE WAS NOW ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF PRACTICAL STUDIES AND HAD RECEIVED FULL COOPERATION FROM THE STAFF THEMSELVES. AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTING IN THEIR ROLE AS CLIENTS.

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