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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1983
+UNDER PROCEDURES RECENTLY ESTABLISHED, THE ACCOMMODATION POLICY GROUP, COMPRISING SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM COUNCILS AND ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, ECONOMIC SERVICES AND CIVIL SERVICE BRANCHES OF THE SECRETARIAT TOGETHER WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, THE DIRECTOR OF LANDS AND THE DIRECTOR OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, DETERMINES WHETHER JUSTIFIED ACCOMMODATION REQUIREMENTS CAN BEST BE MET BY PURCHASE OR CONSTRUCTION,+ MR MCDONALD SAID.
+IN COMING TO A DECISION, THEY MUST OBVIOUSLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHETHER OR NOR SUITABLE PREMISES ARE ON OFFER, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE WHICH CAN BE NEGOTIATED AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS TO COMPLETE THE PURCHASE GIVEN OTHER GOVERNMENT COMMITMENTS, HE ADDED.
EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE MUST BE CONSIDERED ON ITS MERITS AND NO BROAD GENERAL ISATION WAS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE ADVANTAGES WHICH PURCHASE COULD OFFER, NOT LEAST THE FACT THAT THE PREMISES WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR OCCUPATION AT A MUCH EARLIER DATE THAN IF BUILT FROM SCRATCH BY GOVERNMENT.
+ IF SUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IN THE FUTURE, THE PROCEDURES ALREADY ESTABLISHED WILL ENSURE THAT DUE CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO THE ADVANTAGES OF PURCHASE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUILDING GOVERNMENT ACCOMMODATION,+ MR MCDONALD SAID.
REPLYING TO THE HON W.C.L. BROWN WHO HAD SUGGESTED THAT FURTHER BENEFIT COULD BE DERIVED FROM DIRECT INPUT BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT STEERING GROUP, MR MCDONALD SAID THAT THE SUGGESTION WOULD SEEM TO BE BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT THE STEERING GROUP HAD A WIDER FIELD OF RESPONSIBILITY THAN IT ACTUALLY HAD.
+ IT DOES NOT MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF ALL PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS THROUGH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM,+ MR MCDONALD SAID. ITS MAIN FUNCTIONS ARE TO SET STARTING DATES FOR NEW PROJECTS NOT INCLUDED IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN SUBHEADS IN THE ESTIMATES AND TO MONITOR EXPENDITURE TO ENSURE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ITS CONTAINMENT WITHIN THE EXPENDITURE GUIDELINE.+
· IT COULD, THEREFORE, BE SEEN THAT THE PROJECT STEERING GROUP DEALT ONLY WITH PROJECTS IN CATEGORY A OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME OR IN CATEGORY AB BUT SELECTED FOR UPGRADING TO CATEGORY A ALL OF WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN SCRUTINISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, MR MCDONALD SAID.
HE THEN TOLD THE COUNCIL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS ESTABLISHED FOR THE PROCESSING OF PROJECTS INTO AND THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.
DIE PUBLIC
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