XN000022-1985-12-16 — Page 4

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1985

THE LOW BLOCK OF THE $366 MILLION BUILDING IS LINKED TO THE HIGH BLOCK BY A SYSTEM OF ESCALATORS WHICH WOULD ENABLE PEDESTRIANS FROM QUEENSWAY TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE HIGH BLOCK.

THERE IS ALSO A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY NETWORK WHICH CONNECTS THE BUILDING WITH THE NEW SUPREME COURT TO THE WEST AND TO FUTURE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT BEING CONSTRUCTED TO THE EAST,

FS STRESSES NEED FOR SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT'

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THE NEED FOR DEPARTMENTAL CONTROLLING OFFICERS TO EXERCISE SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TO BE MODERN MANAGERS -- WAS STRSSED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE.

OPENING A SEMINAR ON +FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, SIR JOHN TOLD THE GATHERING OF SECRETARIES OF POLICY BRANCHES AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS THAT PROPER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COULD ONLY BE EXERCISED IN DEPARTMENTS.

+THIS IS THE PLACE TO DEVELOP NEW IDEAS. IMPROVE COST

SIR JOHN SAID THAT EFFECTIVENESS AND RATIONAL ISE PROGRAMMES.+ ALL MANAGERS DID THE IR BEST IN A FREE ISH REGIME, AND HE SAW THE FINANCE BRANCH'S ROLE AS MONITORING AND GUIDING OVERALL FINANCIAL POLICY.

SIR JOHN SAID HE COULD SEE NO REASON WHY NEW INITIATIVE SHOULD NOT BE GRADUALLY INTRODUCED INTO THE GOVERNMENT'S DEVELOPMENT PLANS.

THESE, HE SAID, COULD INCLUDE:

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INJECTING SOME INITIAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TO ACHIEVE LONGER TERM RECURRENT SAVING

INCURRING SLIGHTLY HIGHER RECURRENT SPENDING TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVICES PROVIDED

A RATIONALISATION GENERALLY OF SERVICES PROVIDED REQUIRING THE CUTTING BACK OF SOME SERVICES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OTHERS.

*WE ALL KNOW THAT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING IS IMPOSSIBLE. NEVERTHELESS SCOPE FOR CHANGE IS ENORMOUS THOUGH NEW ACCEPTABLE INITIATIVES ARE ONLY LIKELY TO ORIGINATE FROM WELL-FOUNDED PLANS.

/+THIS MEANS