XN000022-1990-03-07 — Page 29

16

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1990

"SECONDLY, EASILY

WE HAVE COMMITMENTS AND ITEMS OF OR READILY BE AVOIDED OR DEFERRED.

EXPENDITURE

THE

PURCHASE

WHICH OF

CANNOT ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLIES IS PERHAPS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

"THIRDLY, PACE

NOT

PEOPLE

MEET THOSE PROVIDE FOR

IN SOME AREAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SERVICES HAS

KEPT

WITH

COMMUNITY. THE GROWING ASPIRATIONS OF THE RIGHTLY EXPECT BETTER QUALITY SERVICES AND, IF WE ARE TO EXPECTATIONS, WE HAVE TO SPEND MORE. THUS THE ESTIMATES THE INTRODUCTION IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR OF SOME NEW SERVICES, IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING SERVICES," SIR PIERS SAID.

FOR

AND

THE

HE POINTED OUT THAT THESE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPEN LEARNING INSTITUTE, THE NEW UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, THE SETTING UP

AND OF A HONG KONG SPORTS DEVELOPMENT BOARD. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL WELFARE AND HEALTH FIELDS. SUCH AS THE SHA TIN INFIRMARY AND THE TUEN MUN HOSPITAL.

"LASTLY, TO MAINTAIN GOOD AND EFFICIENT PUBLIC SERVICES, WE HAVE TO ENSURE

NECESSARY THAT WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN STAFF OF THE

SERVICE CALIBRE. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAY AND CONDITIONS OF OUR CIVIL

TI THE FINANCIAL ARE A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE GROWTH IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, SECRETARY SAID.

"BUT WE WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE PRESSURE TO ENSURE QUALITY OF PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY.

A

MATCHING

REAL "WE CANNOT AFFORD OVER ANY SIGNIFICANT LENGTH OF TIME BOTH

IN CIVIL SERVICE PAY AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASES

GROWTH IN NUMBERS. DESPITE SOME SUCCESS FROM OUR RECENT EFFORTS, THE GROWTH RATE IS STILL

11 HE ADDED. TOO HIGH AND WILL HAVE TO COME DOWN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

SIR PIERS SAID IT MUST BE RECOGNISED THAT IN HONG KONG TODAY THE COST OF AN EMPLOYEE WAS HIGH AND WAS LIKELY TO INCREASE OVER THE SHORT

THE APPLIED AS MUCH TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR AS TO TERM,

PRIVATE WHICH SECTOR.

"IN

TO CONTROL ENDEAVOURING

THE OVERALL GROWTH IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS FACT. WE MUST RECOGNISE THAT IF WE ARE TO CONTROL THE OVERALL GROWTH IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, TARGET MUST BE GROWTH IN NUMBERS," HE SAID.

OUR PRIME

HAVING MENTIONED THE SPECIAL EXERCISE TO REDUCE STAFF ESTABLISHMENTS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID MORE NEEDED TO BE DONE IN

BECAUSE THIS

COSTS REPRESENTED AREA RECURRENT EXPENDITURE.

"THUS, EFFICIENCY

STAFF

SOME

60

PER

CENT

OF

WE MUST ENSURE MAXIMUM VALUE FOR MONEY. THIS REQUIRES MORE

GOVERNMENT. AND PRODUCTIVITY AT EVERY LEVEL OF MUST LOOK FIRST TO THE BASELINE EXPENDITURE

AND NEW

IMPROVEMENTS

LEVELS.

FINANCIAL

SAID.

WE

SERVICES AND NOT SIMPLY ADD

CRITICAL MANAGEMENT REMAINS OF

TO ACCOMMODATE TO EXPENDITURE

IMPORTANCE,"

HE

/TURNING TO