XN000022-1991-10-25 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1991

AT PRESENT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY ORDERS OWNERS OF WHICH ARE DANGEROUS OR POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO CARRY (INCLUDING DEMOLITION IF NECESSARY) TO RENDER THEM SAFE.

BUILDINGS WORKS

OUT

HOWEVER, THE INSPECTION OR SURVEY OF A BUILDING REQUIRED то DETERMINE ITS CONDITIONS HAS GENERALLY BEEN ACCEPTED UP TO NOW AS BEING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUILDING AUTHORITY, ACTING THROUGH THE BOO.

WITH REGARD TO THE LAO, MR BASON SAID MODEST EFFORTS HAD BEEN DIRECTED AT HAVING CERTAIN PREPARATORY WORK IN RELATION TO URBAN RESUMPTION IN PARTICULAR CARRIED OUT BY PRIVATE SECTOR AGENCIES.

LAND

AT PRESENT, THIS SERVICE IS STILL BEING PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT, THAT IS THE TAXPAYER, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.

MR EASON NOTED THAT THE OFFICE HAD ALSO PUT IN PLACE A MONITORING SYSTEM TO CHECK THE TIME TAKEN ΤΟ COMPLETE LEASE MODIFICATION AND LAND EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS WHICH HAD ACHIEVED STEADY IMPROVEMENT.

REGARDING THE SMO, MR EASON SAID THE OFFICE EARLIER THIS YEAR CONDUCTED CONSULTANCY STUDY TO HELP IDENTIFY CORE AND NON-CORE SERVICES IN THE LAND AND ENGINEERING SURVEY AND MAPPING FIELDS.

HE SAID THIS WOULD ENABLE THE OFFICE TO RE-EXAMINE PRIORITIES TO DETERMINE WHAT WORK MUST REMAIN TO BE DONE AND WHAT COULD BE PASSED ON TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHICH IN THE CASE OF LAND SURVEYS MIGHT BOTH NEED AND WELCOME SCOPE FOR EXPANSION THROUGH THE PROCESS,

HE SAID SMALL START HAD BEEN MADE ALREADY IN THE FIELD OF SURVEYS FOR CERTAIN SMALL AND STANDARD SITES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND WOULD BECOME A PERMANENT FEATURE AND AN EXAMPLE WHICH MIGHT BE CAPABLE OF APPLICATION ELSEWHERE.

"IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE ARE REFERRING TO A SERVICE WHICH IS NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO COST-RECOVERY; BUT FOR OTHER SURVEYS THE SAME WOULD NOT APPLY - THE USER WOULD PAY THE PRIVATE SURVEYOR, HE SAID.

H

COMMENTING ON THE OVERALL PROCESS OF THE SHIFTS IN RESPONSIBILITIES, MR EASON SAID НЕ AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE LOOKING FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESS PRIVATE SECTOR RESOURCES INTO GREATER USE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

HE CONCEDED THAT IT WAS AN ACTIVITY NOT WITHOUT ITS PITFALLS WITH REGARD TO THE STAFF MANAGEMENT AND STAFF RELATIONS IMPLICATIONS OF DOING ANYTHING ALONG THESE LINES.

HE SAID PEOPLE NATURALLY TENDED TO BE SUSPICIOUS OF CHANGE AND TO FEAR THE UNKNOWN ESPECIALLY.

THERE WAS A GHASTLY SPECTRE LABELLED 'PRIVATISATION' AT LARGE WHICH CIVIL SERVANTS TENDED TO TRANSLATE AS 'DOING IT WITHOUT US' HE SAID.

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