XN000022-1984-10-24 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1984

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FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS, SHE SAID, DEMANDED DECENTRALISATION,

+SO, TO START WITH, COULD WE HAVE A WRITTEN DEFINITION, AS PRECISE ÁS POSSIBLE, OF THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH SECRETARY?

+TO ME AT LEAST THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNCLEAR.+

MISS DUNN SAID THE NEED TO KEEP THE COMPLEX ADMINISTRATION RUNNING EFFICIENTLY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ADAPTING IT TO FACE THE FUTURE PUT A VERY HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

+WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT, AS WE ENTER THIS NEW ERA, WE ALREADY HAVE A PUBLIC SERVICE THAT HAS SERVED HONG KONG WELL, THAT IS HARD-WORKING, EFFICIENT AND DEDICATED TO THE PUBLIC GOOD.

+WE ALL KNOW THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY AFFECTED BY THE STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY THAT HAVE AFFECTED US ALL IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THEY HAVE NOT ALLOWED THE IR PERSONAL CONCERNS TO AFFECT THE IR PERFORMANCE. WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEBT WE ALL OWE THEM, SHE SAID.

+THE DEMANDS THE COMMUNITY MAKES UPON THEM WILL NOT GROW LESS IN THE FUTURE.

+THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MUST GOVERN AS EFFECTIVELY IN THE FUTURE AS IT HAS DONE IN THE PAST.+

THIS COULD NOT BE DONE UNLESS A LOYAL AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE WAS KEPT.

THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MORALE OF THE SERVICE POSED AN AWKWARD DILEMMA, WHOSE EXISTENCE IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO DENY.

PART IV OF ANNEX I TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT FROM 1997 ALL PUBLIC SERVANTS MAY CONTINUE IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE IR PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE NO LESS FAVOURABLE THAN BEFORE AND THE IR PENSION AND GRATUITY RIGHTS GUARANTEED. BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT EXPATRIATES MAY NO LONGER SERVE AS SECRETARIES OR AS HEADS OF MAJOR DEPARTMENTS AT THE SAME LEVEL, NOR AS DEPUTY HEADS OF SOME DEPARTMENTS THOUGH THEY MAY CONTINUE TO SERVE AS ADVISERS.

MISS DUNN SAID THIS HAD TWO IMPLICATIONS: LOCALISATION HAD TO BE SPEEDED UP AND A MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH MADE TO IT.

+SYSTEMATIC EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO IDENTIFY EARLY AND TRAIN FOR GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES THOSE WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME THE SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE FUTURE PERHAPS SOONER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEFORE.+

ANOTHER IMPLICATION

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