XN000022-1988-11-16 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988

"WHILE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS FREE TO DEVISE, IMPLEMENT AND REVIEW ITS POLICIES WITHIN THE SET OBJECTIVES, APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL STILL HAS TO BE OBTAINED FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO POLICIES.

REFERRING ΤΟ THE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE STATUTORY BODIES WITH THE GOVERNMENT, MR TSAO EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME.

"A REVIEW IS CLEARLY CALLED FOR.

'WE THEREFORE PLAN TO ESTABLISH A GENERAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH EACH BODY CAN BE CATERED FOR.

"THIS BROAD FRAMEWORK WILL ALLOW ISSUES RELATING TO THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A CONSISTENT MANNER.

MR TSAO SAID THE FRAMEWORK BEING PLANNED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD SET OUT PROCEDURES FOR THE CONTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT FINANCE TO BODIES; FOR MONITORING AND APPROVING CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES; AND FOR SETTING FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES.

AND

IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE FOR CONSISTENT REPORTING MECHANISMS, ENSURE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION ON THE MANAGEMENT BODIES OF SUCH ORGANISATIONS, WITH THE AIM OF SAFEGUARDING GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL INTERESTS,

HE POINTED OUT THAT A SERIES OF REVIEWS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN TO RATIONALISE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND STATUTORY BODIES IN TERMS OF ULTIMATE POLICY AND FINANCIAL CONTROL, AND THAT CERTAIN BROAD GUIDELINES WERE MET.

"WE SHALL SEEK TO ENSURE FIRST THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF EACH STATUTORY BODY PROVIDE FOR ADEQUATE POLICY CONTROL AND SECONDLY TO DEFINE THE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT.

ON THE

"WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE REPRESENTED BOARD OR COMMITTEE OF THE ORGANISATION; AND IT MUST BE MADE CLEAR WITH WHICH POLICY SECRETARY THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES.

'AS AND WHEN FURTHER STATUTORY BODIES ARE ESTABLISHED THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE FOLLOWED, MR TSAO SAID.

T

ΤΟ SEEK

ASSURING MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO INTENTION TO ABSOLVE ITSELF OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE WELFARE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE, MR TSAO REITERATED THAT THE MOVE TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STATUTORY AUTHORITIES WAS AIMED AT SETTING UP MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEMS OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT ANY LOSS IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY,

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