XN000022-1984-10-24 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1984

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LYDIA DUNN CALLS FOR REAPPRAISAL OF GOVERNMENT MACHINERY

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THE HON LYDIA DUNN TODAY CALLED FOR A REAPPRAISAL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT MACHINERY.

MISS DUNN, SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SAID THE COMING INTO EFFECT OF THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT HAD MANY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, AND FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN THEM.

SHE COVERED FOUR MAIN AREAS: THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT; THE CHANGES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY: THE CASE FOR A REAPPRAISAL OF THE CENTRAL MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE EFFICIENCY, LOYALTY AND MORALE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE IN ORDER TO KEEP UP AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT DURING THE NEXT 12 - 13 YEARS AND BEYOND.

+1 SHOULD FIRST SAY THAT TO MY MIND THE MOST IMPORTANT IMMEDIATE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCE OF THE AGREEMENT IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE BEFORE IT ONE CLEAR, OVER-RIDING AIM.

+THAT AIM MUST BE TO GOVERN HONG KONG AND TO DEVELOP ITS SYSTEMS IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ENSURE THE SMOOTHEST POSSIBLE TRANSITION FROM OUR PRESENT STATUS AS A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY TO OUR NEW STATUS IN 1997 AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF CHINA,+ MISS DUNN SAID.

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+WE MUST ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THE GOVERNMENT DOES, EVERY CHANGE THAT WE MAKE, WILL FACILITATE OR AT LEAST NOT IN ANY WAY PREJUDICE THE TRANSITION.

+THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA OF NECESSARY CHANGE WILL BE, OF COURSE, IN OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, + SHE SAID.

+ I HAVE PREVIOUSLY ADVOCATED THAT WE SHOULD MOVE TOWARDS A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM, BY WHICH MEAN THAT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS, OR MINISTERS, OF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CHOSEN AND APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

+ BELIEVE THAT ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN WE FORGE A STRONG CHAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY LINKING THE ELECTED LEGISLATURE, THE EXECUTIVE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND THAT ONLY THUS CAN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE BECOME TRULY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THEY EXIST TO SERVE.+

THE OTHER WAY WAS FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO NOMINATE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS WHO WERE NOT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

THE QUESTION