XN000022-1983-10-10 — Page 3

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1983

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PUBLIC INTEREST PUT FIRST

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BRAY

THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY SAID TODAY THAT HONG KONG WAS FORTUNATE IN HAVING A HIGHLY MOTIVATED CIVIL SERVICE AND ONE WHICH WAS CREATED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.

+THE HONG KONG STYLE OF CIVIL SERVICE PUTS THE PUBLIC INTEREST FIRST. IT IS QUITE THE REVERSE OF THE ROLE OF OFFICIALDOM ELSEWHERE WHERE THE OFFICIAL IS REGARDED WITH APPREHENSION IF NOT FEAR,+ HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF A CAREERS EXHIBITION AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, MR BRAY ASKED CIVIL SERVANTS NOT TO FORGET THIS, ALTHOUGH FROM TIME TO TIME SOME DO.

+THIS IS EXCEPTIONAL AND QUITE RIGHTLY PUBLIC INDIGNATION IS EXPRESSED OVER THESE LAPSES. IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE THE GENERAL STANDARD OF SERVICE AND INTEGRITY IS HIGH THAT SUCH LAPSES STAND OUT, HE SAID.

HE ASKED GRADUATES TO REMEMBER THAT INTEREST IN THEIR WORK SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN CHOOSING A CAREER.

+UNLESS THEY FIND THE IR WORK INTERESTING THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE IT THE SORT OF DEVOTION THAT IS REQUIRED IN PUBLIC SERVICE. AND THIS DEVOTION IS NECESSARY FOR THE HONG KONG STYLE OF CIVIL SERVICE,+ HE SAID.

MR BRAY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE AT PRESENT 59 DEPARTMENTS OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF CHALLENGING JOBS SUITABLE FOR UNIVERSITY GRADUATES.

+EACH FIELD OFFERS A CHALLENGING AND SATISFYING CAREER WITH GOOD PROSPECTS OF ADVANCEMENT TO THE MOST SENIOR RANKS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, HE SAID.

GOVERNMENT HELPS IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY

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THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY HELPING TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS, THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR JOHN YAXLEY, SAID TODAY.

HE SAID THAT, ON THE ADVICE OF THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THE GOVERNMENT RECENTLY INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF SERVICES AIMED AT PROVIDING MANUFACTURERS WITH CERTAIN FACILITIES WHICH WILL HELP THEM TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS.

MR YAXLEY WAS OPENING A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE ON QUALITY ASSURANCE AT WHICH A NUMBER OF EXPERTS FROM JAPAN, THE UNITED STATES AND UNITED KINGDOM WILL SPEAK.

/LR YAXLEY