XN000022-1987-11-04 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1987

GOOD PLANS NEED THOROUGH IMPLEMENTATION

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR THE HON CONRAD LAM SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY} THAT THEORETICALLY GOOD PLANS AS OUTLINED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY SPEECH WOULD NEED A PROPER AND THOROUGH IMPLEMENTATION IN ORDER TO GET A SATISFACTORY RESULT.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE POLICY DEBATE, DR LAM NOTED THAT THE POLICY SPEECH HAD POINTED OUT CORRECTLY THAT THE CONTINUANCE OF SOUND ADMINISTRATION WOULD DEPEND GREATLY ON THE MAINTENANCE OF A DEDICATED AND EFFICIENT CIVIL SERVICE.

"HOWEVER, YOU DID NOT TELL US HOW YOU WOULD HANDLE THOSE UNDEDICATED, INEFFICIENT AND SUB-STANDARD CIVIL SERVANTS AND HOW YOU WOULD STRENGTHEN THE SUPERVISION AND PROMOTE THE QUALITY OF THE STATUTORY ADVISORY COMMITTEES WHICH SERVE AS YOUR EYES AND CARS, HE SAID.

HE CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD WHICH INCURRED AN ANNUAL SUM OF $24 MILLIONS FROM THE PUBLIC FUND WITH 370,000 PARTICIPATING STUDENTS. HE SAID IT WAS UPON HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD THAT HE DISCOVERED THAT THE BOARD HAD NOT MET FOR EVEN ONCE IN A WHOLE YEAR.

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HE QUESTIONED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY REAL VALUE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH LIFELESS BOARDS". HE ALSO ASKED HOW MANY INACTIVE BOARDS WERE THERE IN HONG KONG AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HANDLE THEM.

DR LAM SAID THAT THE RECENT SUSPENSION OF THE STOCK MARKET, APART FROM EXPOSING THE POOR QUALITY AND INCOMPETENCE OF SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN HANDLING CRISIS, ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE LONG EXISTING DRAWBACKS IN THE OPERATION AND SUPERVISORY SYSTEMS OF THE FINANCIAL MARKET.

THIS UPHEAVAL IN THE FINANCIAL MARKET CAN WELL SERVE AS A GOOD LESSON TO THOSE WHO HOLD THE VIEW THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM HAS WORKED WELL TO MAKE HONG KONG A SUCCESS AND THINK THAT CHANGES ARE NOT NECESSARY.

"IF WE DO NOT MAKE SUITABLE ADJUSTMENT, INCLUDING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IN TIME, WE WOULD BE VERY UNWISE AND IRRESPONSIBLE, HE SAID.

DR LAM WENT ON TO SAY THAT AMONG THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HE KNEW, MOST OF THEM WERE OF HIGH CALIBRE AND EFFICIENT. THEY DID, HOWEVER, HAVE A COMMON WEAKNESS: SUBJECTIVELY OVER-ZEALOUS DEFENDING THE POLICIES THEY HAD DRAWN UP.

IN

THEY WERE

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