TNAG-0291-FCO40-327-Constitutional-development-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 11

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Wednesday, October 6, 1971

The work of any one of the new and smaller pyramids should then be

capable of being properly controlled, co-ordinated and expedited by the

particular Overlord in charge, he added.

Mr. Salmon said that no Overlord should change his job in less than

five years, and preferably longer than that.

"The present system of posting senior administrative officers from

one job to another at frequent intervals cannot do much to encourage a sense

of personal responsibility, whilst the lack of real delegated power inhibits it."

His suggestion for Overlords would not only take the pressure off

the Colonial Secretary and the Financial Secretary but also speed up decision

making and action, he said.

"These long delays can cause great inconvenience or even hardship

for the public and must be frustrating for Department heads wishing to get

on with things."

The pinpointing of responsibility at the level of the Overlords

would help eliminate these bottlenecks, he stressed.

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