HONG KONG MAY 24th
DI
1=XK || 18
73
Ceneral
welcome
STANDARD..
but report doesn't
solve all
THE McKinsey Report on the machinery of the Government was generally welcomed yesterday as 2 positive step towards a more efficient government
and better results.
• "The suggested changes and recommendations in the report are absolutely essential, although they come a bit late," Mr Peter C.K. Chan, elected Urban Councillor, told the Standard yesterday.
*An overhaul of government machinery was needed a long time ago, but I am glad that it is about to . come as it is better late than
never,” he said.
He said that at present Practically all government #departments have to go to the Colonial's bottleneck for Capproval of policy and -expenditure.
"Requests for approval by department heads had to go "through relatively junior staff of the Colonial Secretariat, who often sent them back to the departmental heads for cicarance on minor details,” he said.
O n the report S recommendations is that several /sections of the Government such as the airport, the railway. the. Vaterworks and the Post Office could be split off to form separate agencies to reduce the administrative workload.
"It is a good lea to have, independent authors running Kakelt förvices, as i Engizad, but the quest on is who will s yon the board of directors.", be
jaid.
"Civil servants Fre not businessmen, and we must have businessmen running these agencies,” said Mr Chan.
"Hongkong is a modern city and not a 19th century colony and it must be .ប.ព accordingly," he said,
"I hope that one day the people will be able to elect and be represented in the Government's decision-making body and that the is just a lust step," he said.
Meanwhile, Prof P.B. Harris of the law department of the University of Hongkong said he welcomed the ideas in the report.
"There will be six very, very big fish as against the present system of having numerous big fish.
"However, I must point out that the super lord must still be the Financial Secretary," he said.
"The old idea of the extension of the Colonial Secretariat will be highly. devalued.
"And my guess is that this will be a move away from the old colonial image and will be a step towards better government," he said.
However, the professor said he was not happy with the manner in which the report was prepared as it solely relied on the McKinsey a foreign
team.
Mr LK. Ding, chairman of the Christian Industrial Committee said he was in favour of the new machinery if it meant a better government. However, he doubted if it would provide a smoother working system if the Finance department was still in the way.
**Can the one who is holding the purse block the way for new plans to be implemented,” he asked.
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