XN000022-1983-10-26 — Page 4

JEDNIEJA), OCTOLLA 26, 1983

+YET APPARENTLY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO IMPROVE AND UPDATE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES IN OUR HOSPITALS, SHE SAID.

SHE MAINTAINED THAT WHEN HOSPITAL STAFF WERE LARGELY YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED AND WORKING UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE, TO FOLLOW PRECEDENT AND TRADITION WOULD NOT SUFFICE. CLEAR AND CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES WERE ESSENTIAL.

SHE ALSO QUOTED THE NON-EXISTENT EXHIBITION CENTRE+ AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF LACK OF URGENCY.

SHE BELIEVED NOW WAS THE TIME TO DECIDE +HOW TO ESTABLISH AN EXHIBITION CENTRE AND NOT WHETHER+ SUCH A CENTRE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.

+1 THINK THAT IT BECAME SELF-EVIDENT LONG AGO - IT CERTAINLY DID TO THOSE OF US IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR - THAT HONG KONG NEEDS AN EXHIBITION CENTRE AND THAT IT MUST HAVE OFFICIAL BACKING.

+WE NEED NOW FEWER WORDS AND MORE ACTION FOR IN ALL THESE YEARS OF TALK AND REPORTS, WITHOUT REAL PROGRESS, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, THAT WE HAVE LOST ARE QUITE UNQUANTIFIABLE, SHE SAID.

MISS DUNN QUESTIONED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WAS SO ORGANISED AND TRAINED AS TO MINIMISE MISTAKES.

SHE SAID THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A STAFF COLLEGE TO PROVIDE TRAINING AT VARIOUS LEVELS FOR PROFESSIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

HOWEVER, TRAINING, EVEN IF THERE WAS MORE OF IT, WOULD NOT DO MUCH GOOD UNLESS THE PROCEDURES IT TAUGHT WERE SOUND AND THE ORGANISATION WAS APPROPRIATE.

+ IT APPEARS THAT OUR BUREAUCRATIC PROCEDURES ARE STILL TOO COMPLEX - AND HENCE TOO SLOW AND THAT THE ORGANISATION OF GOVERNMENT IS OVER-CENTRALISED AND TOP-HEAVY, SHE SAID.

+I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A FUNDAMENTAL REAPPRAISAL OF THE CENTRAL MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE GENERALLY. A CONTINUING REVIEW OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND A MUCH IMPROVED TRAINING ORGANISATION.+

THESE THINGS WOULD LEAD TO A BETTER USE OF THE REAL TALENT THAT WAS AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICES WHICH WAS ALL THE MORE NECESSARY IF RESTRAINT ON THE GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS TO CONTINUE, SHE SAID.

+I ALSO BELIEVE THAT A GREATER DECENTRALISATION OF AUTHORITY WOULD BRING THE GOVERNMENT INTO CLOSER CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE IT EXISTS TO SERVE.

+THIS IN TURN WOULD PROMOTE THAT UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SO NECESSARY IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, SHE ADDED.

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