XN000022-1983-11-03 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1983

THE MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION IN THE RIVER COURSES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS THE DISCHARGE OF PIG AND POULTRY WASTE BY FARMERS AND THE INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING OF REFUSE BY VILLAGERS.

SIR PHILIP SAW WORKERS ENGAGED IN THEIR DAILY JOB OF CLEARING AWAY LITTER FROM RIVER BANKS, AND CUTTING BACK VEGETATION BLOCKING THE FREE FLOW OF WATER.

BEFORE LEAVING, SIR PHILIP TOURED THE FIRST AIR CONDITIONED SQUASH COURTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AT FANLING

WHICH HAVE HAD A USAGE RATE OF 98 PER CENT SINCE THEY WERE OPENED IN 1981.

GAINS SEEN FROM CIVIL SERVICE PRODUCTIVITY

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR MARTIN ROWLANDS SAID TODAY THAT IMPROVEMENTS IN CIVIL SERVICE PRODUCTIVITY, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ACHIEVING, SHOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 4TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, MR ROWLANDS POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO PERMIT NO GROWTH IN THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE DURING 1984-85, EXCEPT WHERE IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE STAFF FOR NEW FACILITIES AND WHERE SUCH STAFF COULD NOT BE PROVIDED BY REDEPLOYMENT.

+SINCE OUR WORKLOAD IS TENDING TO INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD, IN SOME AREAS SIGNIFICANTLY SO, AND SINCE HONG KONG IS STILL IN A DEVELOPING STAGE WITH THE ARGUMENTS BEING ALL FOR EXTENDING EXISTING PUBLIC SERVICES OR PROVIDING NEW ONES, THE IMPLICATIONS OF CLOSE- TO-ZERO GROWTH IN STAFF WILL BE READILY APPARENT.

+CLEARLY THE ONLY WAY WE SHALL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR AIM, AND AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAIN OUR ON-GOING PROGRAMMES, WILL BE FOR ALL OF US IN THE CIVIL SERVICE TO SIMPLIFY THE WAY WE DO OUR WORK AND IMPROVE OUR NET PERFORMANCE; IN OTHER WORDS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY ACROSS THE BOARD.

+WHILE TECHNICAL AIDS MAY MAKE SOME CONTRIBUTION, IT IS LARGELY TO IMPROVE STAFF MANAGEMENT THAT WE SHALL HAVE TO LOOK,+ MR ROWLANDS SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IMPROVEMENTS IN CIVIL SERVICE PRODUCTIVITY WOULD MAKE A WELCOME CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S +BOTTOM LINE+. +AND SINCE, WITH 170 000 STAFF, WE FORM SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL COMPONENT OF THE ECONOMY, WE SHOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE, HE SAID.

MR ROWLANDS ALSO NOTED THAT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOW INSISTING THAT OFFICERS SHOULD DEMONSTRATE SOME TALENT FOR THE PEOPLE SIDE OF ITS BUSINESS BEFORE ADVANCING TO SENIOR POSTS CARRYING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.

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