XN000022-1995-06-07 — Page 33

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Appointment of a senior professional administrator

The Honourable Emily Lau's second amendment urges the Administration to consider the appointment within the Department of a senior professional administrator in order to support the Department with a higher level of administrative expertise, similar to that supplied to the Judiciary by the Judiciary Administrator.

We have, over the past few years strengthened very considerably the Department's administration, starting with the creation in 1989 of the post of Chambers Manager with the specific objective of having a senior professional administrator to manage the Department. That innovation has been very successful. The Department has, in its Administration Division headed by the Chambers Manager, a body of skilled administrators and managers. The Departmental Secretary post has been recently upgraded to the Directorate level (D1) in order to strengthen the administration support in formulating and implementing major administrative issues such as localisation and manpower planning of the department, improving staff management and relations, deployment of resources, financial control and office automation. Each of the major divisions now has its own Divisional Executive Officer to assist in management and administration, thus freeing the Law Officers to concentrate on their major responsibilities as Heads of Department. These changes have provided the Department with efficient and effective management. I would like in this point to refute in strong terms the suggestion that the department is in a shambolic state. Those believe that are welcome to come and visit us when we can find time in our busy schedule to fit you in.

Nevertheless, the suggestion to appoint a senior professional administrator within the Legal Department will be seriously considered having regard to the following factors -

(a)

the need for the creation of such a post:

(b)

it's level:

(c)

the way it would fit in the overall senior management of the Legal Department:

(d)

the quality and experience required of the incumbent filling the post;

(e)

the improvements to be expected as a result of the creation of the post; and