XN000022-1987-11-11 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1987

STATUTORY BODIES WITH

"THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

SOMB EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS, AND WITH THE AUTHORITY IN SOME CASES TO PROPOSE POLICY CHANGES, WAS PART OF THIS PROCESS, HE NOTED.

MR FORD SAID THAT IN ESTABLISHING THESE BODIES, THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM WAS TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS BETTER PLACED TO RESPOND PROMPTLY AND FLEXIBLY TO CHANGES IN DEMAND FOR ITS SERVICES, AND THAT ITS ADVISERS WERE BETTER PLACED TO OFFER ADVICE ON THE BASIS OF DIRECT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THESE SERVICES WERE DELIVERED ON THE GROUND.

OF

POLICY ISSUES ON THE WAY IN WHICH

"THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STATUTORY BODIES WITH A LARGE ELEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FROM OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC SERVICE IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF BRINGING THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC AND MUST, I BELIEVE, BE A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT," HE SAID.

MR FORD ADDED THAT ALTHOUGH THE STATUTORY BODIES WERE GIVEN DECISION-MAKING POWERS, THE GOVERNMENT REMAINED RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING THE BROAD POLICIES WHICH PROVIDED THE FRAMEWORK FOR SUCH OPERATIONAL DECISIONS.

HE SAID: "MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE HAVE A9 THEIR AS MEMBERS ON THESE BODIES, AND ALL THESE BODIES WILL EXECUTIVE ARMS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS STAFFED BY PUBLIC SERVANTS.

"ANY POLICY PROPOSALS WHICH ARE BASED ON THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS

OF

OR AND WHICH REQUIRE THE ENACTMENT

LEGISLATION

OF THE VOTING FUNDS WILL REQUIRE THE APPROVAL. OF THIS COUNCIL OR ITS FINANCE COMMITTEE.'

"THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE BODIES WILL THEREFORE IN NO WAY DETRACT FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN, OR ALTER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL."

LINKS WITH CHINA WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP

A SOUND WORKING

RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA HAS

ALWAYS BEEN SECRETARY,

ESSENTIAL TO HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROGRESS, THE CHIEF THE HON DAVID FORD, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THIS FACT

MR FORD SAID THIS, HOWEVER, WAS NOT TO SUGGEST THAT "DOMINATES OUR THINKING OR THE WAY IN WHICH WE GOVERN HONG KONG."

"IT IS A CLEAR DUTY TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE ARE PARAMOUNT AND REMAIN SO," HE NOTED.

HONG

KONG

/WINDING UP