TNAG-0291-FCO40-327-Constitutional-development-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 7

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Wednesday, October 6, 1971

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1979 ME

17.10.)

OVER-ALL EXAMINATION OF THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

Its Organisation And Method Of Operation: Mr. Q.W. Lee

The time is due for an over-all examination of the central administrative

system of the Government the Colonial Secretariat

method of operation.

J

its organisation and

The Honourable Q.W. Lee stated this today at the second sitting of

the new session of the Legislative Council.

"We all acknowledge the devotion, the industry, the integrity and

the quality of the great majority of the Civil Service, especially those in

the Secretariat who are in most cases overworked and highly conscientious of

their responsibility," he said.

But, the volume of work in the Colonial Secretariat had so increased

in the past few years that the present procedure became cumbersome and tended

to breed delay, he added.

The present process,

if not improved and simplified, would no doubt

slow down progress and further increase the loss to both the Government and

the Community in time, labour and money,

Mr. Lee said he understood that the need to improve the efficiency of

the Colonial Secretariat was always in the minds of the senior officers and

changes had in fact been made from time to time.

"However, these changes do not seem to have improved the situation

very much and we believe there may be a case for a radical new approach,

particularly for wider and greater delegation of financial and administrative

authority."

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