XN000022-1994-10-12 — Page 40

18

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1994

OF

AND

WITH

ACHIEVE

I NOW TURN TO PAC REPORT NO. 22 WHICH EXAMINES THE RESULTS

FEES VARIOUS

FIRST, ON THE QUESTION OF VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS. CHARGES. I WISH TO ASSURE MEMBERS THAT WE ARE DETERMINED TO THE POLICY OBJECTIVE THAT FEES CHARGED BY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD,

FULL CERTAIN SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS, BE SET AT A LEVEL TO RECOVER THE

WITH WE AGREE PROVIDING THE GOODS OR SERVICES. COST OF

THE PAC'S THE OBSERVATION THAT THE LONGER THE TIME SPAN BETWEEN FEE INCREASES,

IT LARGER THE INCREASE WOULD HAVE TO BE AND HENCE THE MORE DIFFICULT WOULD BE TO SECURE PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE.

CHARGES FOR FULL COSTS THEY

FOR

THAT IS WHY WE HAVE REFINED OUR SYSTEM LAST YEAR FOR MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTING FEE REVIEWS AND ADJUSTMENTS. FEES AND GOODS OR SERVICES, WHERE CLIENTS OR USERS SHOULD PAY THE

INFLATION. ARE REVIEWED ANNUALLY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF INCURRED,

YEARS. ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO A FULL COSTING EXERCISE EVERY FOUR

то A PRE-DETERMINED BOTH TYPES OF EXERCISES, THE DEPARTMENTS WORK SCHEDULE. THIS ENSURES THAT INCREASES IN GOVERNMENT FEES AND CHARGES THE ARE PHASED DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON PUBLIC AT ANY ONE TIME. I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THIS SYSTEM BEEN WORKING WELL. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, STILL INSTANCES COST RECOVERY CANNOT YET BE ACHIEVED. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CASE

OF OPERATING LICENSING HOTELS, GUESTHOUSES AND CLUBS, THE FULL COST

SCHEMES

RECOVERABLE UPON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEMES.

THE

LICENSING

WILL

ONLY

BE

HAS WHERE FULL

OF

IN THE THAT

THEIR

IN HIS SPEECH, MR WONG COMMENTED ON THE INADEQUACIES PLANNING OF A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC PROJECTS. I AGREE THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO WORK OUT PRECISE REQUIREMENTS AT THE PLANNING AND DESIGN STAGE. THE GOVERNMENT MINUTE SETS OUT IN DETAIL THE ACTIONS WE HAVE TAKEN IN PAC'S ADVICE IN THIS REGARD, BOTH PROJECT-SPECIFIC TERMS. I WISH TO ASSURE MEMBERS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT PROJECTS ARE ADEQUATELY PLANNED,

AND THAT THEY THAT THEY

COMPLETED ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET, ACHIEVE THEIR INTENDED OBJECTIVES.

ON

SPACE IN THE

RESPONSE TO AND IN GENERAL CONSCIOUS

HOUSING

AUTHORITY

PARTICULAR, THE

GOVERNMENT

MINUTE,

THE UTILISATION OF HEADQUARTERS BUILDING, TO WHICH MR WONG REFERRED IN DIRECTOR OF HOUSING HAS, IN HIS RESPONSE IN THE ASSURED THE PAC THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY

AUTHORITY IN WITH ALL

INFORMATION TO FACILITATE THE RELEVANT CONSIDERATIONS OF HOUSING POLICY AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS,

LIKE THE

FULLY GOVERNMENT,

RECOGNISES AUTHORITY,

ITS

THE

THE

IN

THE

THE

. HOUSING

RECOMMENDATIONS. IMPORTANCE OF THE PAC'S OBSERVATIONS AND LIGHT OF THE PAC'S REPORT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS REQUESTED HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ALLOCATION HEADQUARTERS AND UTILISATION OF OFFICE SPACE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BUILDING. THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING WILL PROVIDE TO THE PAC THE RESULTS OF THE REVIEW.

CLOSELY

MR

THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO WORKING PRESIDENT, WITH THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE QUEST FOR THE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE

OR ARE PLANNING TO TAKE, WILL GO MEASURES WE HAVE TAKEN, WAY TOWARDS THIS END.

IN THE

A

LONG

0

/19

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