XN000022-1993-03-11 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1993

THE

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GOVT TO IMPROVE PUBLIC WORKS PERFORMANCE

GOVERNMENT, WITH NEW MEASURES TAKEN AND PLANNED, IS DETERMINED TO PERFORM MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

OF THE

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY WHICH WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION OFFICE, MR GORDON SIU, AND THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR WORKS (PLANNING AND RESOURCES), MISS ELAINE CHUNG.

MR BLAKE SAID HE HAS BEEN GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AND WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRESS COMMITTEE (PWPC) WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REORGANISED.

UNDER HIS CHAIRMANSHIP, THE HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE WILL INCLUDE THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS AND SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES AS MEMBERS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.

MR BLAKE SAID THE PWPC WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY DIRECTORS OF THE WORKS DEPARTMENTS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY SINCE APRIL 1992 TO MONITOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS AND TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS OF INTERFACE, PRIORITIES AND RESOURCES WHICH OFTEN BESET THE IMPLEMENTATION.

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"T ALSO INTEND TO SET UP A SMALL PANEL OF EXPERTS DRAWN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR то ADVISE THE PWPC ON HOW то IMPROVE WORKS PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

"THE CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS BEING SET UP SEPARATELY, CAN ALSO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PWPC UNDER ITS BROAD TERMS OF REFERENCE."

"WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING CONSULTANTS TO HELP DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE COMPUTER-BASED INFORMATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WHICH WILL PROVIDE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

HIERARCHY

OF

THE WORKS

AND

OTHER

"THE CONSULTANTS WILL ALSO REVIEW THE EXISTING ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE, ESTABLISHMENT AND CULTURE'

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GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS AND ITS LINKAGE WITH FINANCE BRANCH POLICY BRANCHES.

"THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS THEY ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, MR BLAKE SAID.

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THE NEW INITIATIVES AND MEASURES OUTLINED ABOVE ARE CONTINUATION OF THE EFFORTS MADE IN THE PAST YEAR ΤΟ IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OF THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING AS A TEAM IMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

MR BLAKE SAID THE ORIGINAL PUBLIC WORKS PROGRESS COMMITTEE FIRST SET UP IN APRIL 1992 TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF WORKS.

ARE

A

THE

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WAS

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