XN000022-1983-12-02 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1983

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CIVIL SERVICE OPEN TO CRITICISM

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THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE WAS PROBABLY THE MOST OPEN TO PUBLIC CRITICISM IN THE WORLD.

+WE HAVE NO PARTY POLITICIANS TO EXCHANGE ARTILLERY BARRAGES UNDER WHICH CIVIL SERVANTS CAN HIDE IN THEIR TRENCHES, WE HAVE A PRESS WHICH IS OVERALL REASONABLY RESPONSIBLE AND COULD NOT BE SAID TO SHRINK FROM WHAT IT CONCEIVES AS ITS PUBLIC DUTY TO CASTIGATE AND EXPOSE WHERE IT THINKS IT PERCEIVES INADEQUACIES AND SHORTCOMINGS, HE SAID.

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SPEAKING AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE ASIAN CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS, MR HENDERSON SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSULTATIVE PROCESS IN ITSELF LED TO MUCH WELL-VOICED CRITICISM ALONG THE WAY.

+WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF INTEREST GROUPS, SUNDRY VOCAL ACADEMICS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ALL READY TO SAY THEIR PIECE. THE WELCOME DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICT BOARDS HAS ENABLED LOCAL CRITICISM OF WHAT IS A RATHER CENTRALISED GOVERNMENT, TO FIND A FOCUS THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN RATHER LACKING AS THE POPULATION HAS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY OUTWARDS FROM THE OLD TOWNS OF KOWLOON AND VICTORIA, HE POINTED OUT,

MR HENDERSON SAID THAT IN ADDITION THERE WERE THE MORE FORMAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL, HEUNG YEE KUK AND UMELCO.

ON THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF CIVIL SERVANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY, MR HENDERSON SAID THERE WAS AN IMPROVED RESPECT FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, AND THIS TOGETHER WITH A STRONGER ATTITUDE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AGAINST CORRUPTION, AND THE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS, HAD ALL HELPED THE STATUS OF THE CIVIL SERVANTS IN SOCIETY.

+THERE WILL ALWAYS BE COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS AND THE GOVERNED, BUT I THINK IT IS BEING MORE STEADILY APPRECIATED AND UNDERSTOOD THAT CIVIL SERVANTS ARE DEVOTING MORE EFFORTS - OFTEN BY QUITE JUNIOR OFFICERS TO EXPLAINING POLICIES AND BEING MORE RESPONSIVE TO PERCEIVED NEEDS FOR CHANGE,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN SOCIETY, MR HENDERSON SAID FOCUS SHOULD BE PUT ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF TEACHERS.

HE ALSO NOTED THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF TEACHERS IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

SOME OF THESE TEACHERS WERE MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND MANY WERE ACTIVE IN VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE SAID.

+THIS IS DOUBLY WELCOME FIRSTLY BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE SO MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE AND SECONDLY IT BRINGS THEM INTO CONTACT WITH ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND SERVES TO AMELIORATE THE SOMETIMES ISOLATED NATURE OF THE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID.

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