XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

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AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SATISFY ALL THE TRAINING NEEDS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE THROUGH IN-HOUSE COURSES OR PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE AT LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, WE SHALL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE USE OF TRAINING FACILITIES OVERSEAS. HOWEVER, SIR, TO END ON A REASSURING NOTE, WE HAVE NOW REPLACE OVERSEAS COURSES IN CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY, GAS ENGINEERING AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE FORECASTING OF TROPICAL CYCLONES AND SEVERE RAINSTORM BY LOCALLY COMMISSIONED PROGRAMMES.

CONCLUSION

HAVING NOW RESPONDED TO THE VARIOUS POINTS RAISED IN THIS DEBATE BY MEMBERS RELATING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, MAY I CONCLUDE, SIR, BY TOUCHING ON A MATTER OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO US ALL, BUT ONE WHICH WE TEND TO TAKE TOO MUCH FOR GRANTED. 1 REFER, SR, TO THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE.

TRADITIONALLY, AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF EITHER THE CIVIL SERVICE OF UNOFFICIALS, THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN A CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP, WITH BOTH SIDES TO THE INTER-FACE REALISING THAT, TO ACHIEVE OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, EACH IS DEPENDENT ON THE OTHER.

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AS WE ENTER THE ERA OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, AND WITH A GROWING PREPONDERANCE OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNCIL, BUT ALSO IN THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS AND ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE NEED FOR SUCH A CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE WILL BECOME NO LESS IMPORTANT. WE SHOULD NURTURE THAT RELATIONSHIP CAREFULLY, EVEN THOUGH THE ERA OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MAY WELL LEAD TO A TENDENCY TO MORE ADVERSARI AL - BUT HOPEFULLY NOT FACTIONAL POLITICS - AND MAY WELL DIMINISH THE EASY INFORMALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE CONDUCT OF MUCH OF OUR BUSINESS, BUT THE CO-OPERATIVE NATURE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BASED ON TRUST, SEASONED WITH CREATIVE TENSION FROM TIME TO TIME AND EXPRESSED IN OPEN DEBATE IN THIS COUNCIL AND IN FRANK DISCUSSIONS IN MANY OTHER FORUMS, MUST BE PRESERVED AND PRESERVED WHATEVER THE CONSTITUTIONAL SETTING OF THAT RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE.

27, I HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN SUPPORTING THE MOTION.

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