XN000022-1989-08-14 — Page 10

MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1989

IT ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE GDPA'S MANAGEMENT BE

STRENGTHENED

BY INTRODUCING A NEW SECOND LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT SENIOR TO THE PRESENT SECOND LEVEL.

"THESE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF ANY NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL," DR GREENFIELD SAID.

THE FINANCE BRANCH, WHICH IS THE POLICY BRANCH, AGREED THAT THE GDPA SHOULD BE RENAMED THE "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT" WHICH, DR GREENFIELD SAID, WAS

A MUCH MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES.

"THIS WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ONCE THE NECESSARY BEEN GIVEN BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE," HE SAID.

APPROVAL HAS

AFTER THAT, FILLING UP THE NEW POSTS WOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY SO THAT THE NEW STRATEGY COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON POSSIBLE.

TOP

AS

COMMENTING ON STAFFING PROBLEMS. DR GREENFIELD SAID: "WE ARE SUFFERING FROM A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF, AS IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN HONG KONG.

"TURNOVER RATES RUN AT 10 PER CENT TO 18 PER CENT PER ANNUM, AND ARE CURRENTLY NEARER THE UPPER END OF THE RANGE.

++

WHILE EXPLORING ALL POSSIBLE MEANS TO ECONOMISE ON STAFF AND TO MAXIMISE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY. DR GREENFIELD SAID SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW STRATEGY WOULD DEPEND HEAVILY ON THE NECESSARY STAFF BEING IN POST.

QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED

AN IMPROVEMENT QUARTER OF 1989 THEY EXPECT THE ACCORDING то THE (MONDAY) BY THE

FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR EXPERIENCED IN THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE SECOND COMPARED WITH THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1989, AND IMPROVEMENT TO CONTINUE IN THE THIRD QUARTER, QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED TODAY CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

SUCH COMPARISONS ARE. HOWEVER, LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, THE FIRST QUARTER OF EACH YEAR IS USUALLY A SEASONAL LOW PERIOD, WHILE THE THIRD QUARTER IS USUALLY A MORE ACTIVE SEASON THAN THE SECOND QUARTER AS FAR AS THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR IS CONCERNED.

/WITHIN THE

Page 10Page 11