XN000022-1996-10-09 — Page 28

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In respect of the Northcote College of Education improvement project, I accept that the case could have been better co-ordinated. I also accept that when it transpired that the Hong Kong Institute of Education campus project might impact on the former project, the fact should have been brought to the attention of the Finance Committee or the Education Panel of this Council. On the way forward, we will as recommended by the PAC, carefully evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of retaining the Northcote College of Education library block in the overall development of the Hong Kong University Faculty of Medicine project. We will advise the PAC of the final decision once this is available.

Mr Li also commented on the staffing situation for certain government services, and urged that we should be more vigilant in rationalising the deployment of resources to meet the needs of the community. I do not intend to labour on what we have done in recent years to bring about a more proactive approach on resource management. I trust Members are familiar with our initiatives under the Public Sector Reform programme. Government is a very big organisation and we must constantly review and re-organise our resources in different areas to meet changing needs. In the Government Minute, we have explained the measures we are putting in place to address the cases of over/under staffing brought to our notice.

Finally, on our system of awarding public works contracts. I acknowledge that there is room for further improvement in the system. This is under review by the Secretary for the Treasury. Specifically, we are working to develop a mechanism to enable us to take into account the past performance record of a contractor in an objective manner in the evaluation of tenders. We will keep the PAC informed of the progress in this.

Mr President, the Government appreciates fully the importance of the PAC's findings and recommendations. I am confident that the measures we have taken, or are planning to take, will go a long way towards implementing the Committee's recommendations.

End