XN000022-1988-11-16 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988

"NOT ONLY BY HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS BUT INCREASINGLY BY SECRETARIES, WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT THE FUNDS THEY ARE ALLOCATED ARE SPENT EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

"I

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY INSTITUTD A NUMBER OF ONGOING FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REFORMS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY.

"THE FOCUS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR PERFORMANCE IN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ADOPTION OF MODERN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, MR JACOBS SAID.

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"THIS BRINGS ME TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ON THE ONE HAND THE GOVERNMENT, AND ON THE OTHER THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, INCLUDING STATUTORY AUTHORITIES, WHICH DELIVER SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.

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"I REFER NOT ONLY TO SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS, SUCH AS THOSE THE MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL FIELDS, BUT ALSO TO SUCH BODIES A9 TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION, AND TO COMMERCIAL ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY AND MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, HE SAID.

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MR JACOBS SAID ONCE THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS ESTABLISHED, MORE THAN 40 PER CENT OF THE SERVICES DELIVERED TO THE PUBLIC WOULD BE PROVIDED BY AGENCIES AND NOT BY THE CIVIL SERVICE.

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IT IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT THEREFORE THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD FORMALISE ITS POSITION REGARDING THESE AGENCIES, HE SAID.

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THIS WOULD INVOLVE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROPER FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP COVERING MATTERS SUCH AS THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, APPROVALS FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAMMES, DIVIDEND POLICIES AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES, MR JACOBS NOTED.

MR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN GREATER GOVERNMENT CONTROL OVER THE MANAGEMENT AND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THESE BODIES.

"WHERE WE HAVE TAKEN THE VIEW THAT CERTAIN PUBLIC SERVICES CAN, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, BE BETTER PROVIDED OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE, IT IS OUR INTENTION THAT THE AGENCIES CONCERNED SHOULD GET ON WITH THE JOB WHICH HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED ΤΟ THEM. WE WILL NOT INTERFERE, HE SAID.

TT

IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE LOOSENING OF CONTROL, MR JACOBS SAID: "I ACCEPT THAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE AGENCIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITHIN A BROAD FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

"A FRAMEWORK WHICH SETS OUT CLEARLY NATURE OF THE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AND THE GOVERNMENT."

THE OBJECTIVES AND THE THE AGENCIES CONCERNED

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