Page 191 of 279
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
If this is true, and Mr. Fred LEE succeeds in quadrupling our defence contribution, our social services expenditure will be gravely affected.
Mr. Fred LEE came first on an official visit. He partook of the hospitality of the government and the people, and saw more of the gaiety and charm of Hong Kong.
He comes now on an unofficial visit, but with an official mission - to collect more money from the Hong Kong people. Can he take time off to learn more about the seamy side of Hong Kong life, where one million people still lack decent housing, where tens of thousands of young children do not go to school because they must work to keep the family body and soul alive, where thousands of crippled or mentally retarded children urgently need treatment, where the poor have no national pension fund to give them a little security in their old age.
If Mr. Fred LEE should look deeply beneath the surface of Hong Kong's bubbling prosperity, he will learn that his official mission is a matter of life-and-death to the dreams of Hong Kong people for a better standard of living, just as the strength of the Pound Sterling is to the British people.
Government and the Public
In day-to-day relations with the personnel of various Government departments, I have found that the senior officers are without exception courteous and responsible.
However, this is not always so in the case of junior departmental personnel who are in daily contact with the public. I myself have been off-handedly treated by junior departmental personnel several times this year. Their attitude changed swiftly after they learned that I was an Urban Councillor. (Laughter). Not from me, Sir, but from a senior member of the Department.
I am sure that Departmental Heads are constantly trying to improve relations between members of the public and their staff. As a constructive suggestion in that direction, I would suggest that Government invite an outside team of management consultants to organize a programme to strengthen mid-level management, efficiency, and discipline. This is urgently needed especially in those Government departments having day-to-day relations with the public through junior personnel.
Courtesy to the public by Civil servants cannot be had simply by issuing a circular; it has to be motivated by a sense of loyalty, discipline, and duty.
The average Civil Servant at the junior level is usually a decent and well-meaning young person. However, the improvement of his overall efficiency and attitude to the public requires proper training and it is here that the introduction of modern management techniques within the middle and lower echelons of each Government Department will be able to reap rich rewards in improving Government's image with the public. (Applause).
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CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, it was agreed by all members that the Unofficial Members of this Council should be allocated two consecutive days for their speeches on the Motion for endorsement of the Statement of Aims for 1967. I now suggest that debate on this Motion be continued on Thursday, 1st December 1966, at 2.30 p.m. in this Chamber.
ADJOURNMENT-5.35 P.M.
CHAIRMAN:-That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until Thursday, 1st December, 1966 at 2.30 p.m.
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HONG KONG
Page 191 of 279
f279
Page 191 of 279
356
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
If this is true, and Mr. Fred LEE succeeds in quadrupling our defence contribution, our social services expenditure will be gravely affected.
Mr. Fred LEE came first on an official visit. He partook of the hospitality of the government and the people, and saw more of the gaiety and charm of Hong Kong.
He comes now on an unofficial visit, but with an official mission -to collect more money from the Hong Kong people. Can he take time off to learn more about the seamy side of Hong Kong life, where one million people still lack decent housing, where tens of thousands of young children do not go to school because they must work to keep the family body and soul alive, where thousands of crippled or mentally retarded children urgently need treatment, where the poor have no national pension fund to give them a little security in their old age.
If Mr. Fred LEE should look deeply beneath the surface of Hong Kong's bubbling prosperity, he will learn that his official mission is a matter of life-and-death to the dreams of Hong Kong people for a better standard of living, just as the strength of the Pound Sterling is to the British people.
Government and the Public
In day-to-day relations with the personnel of various Government departments, I have found that the senior officers are without exception courteous and responsible.
However, this is not always so in the case of junior departmental personnel who are in daily contact with the public. I myself have been off-handedly treated by junior departmental personnel several times this year. Their attitude changed swiftly after they learned that I was an Urban Councillor. (Laughter). Not from me, Sir, but from a senior member of the Department.
I am sure that Departmental Heads are constantly trying to improve relations between members of the public and their staff. As a con- structive suggestion in that direction, I would suggest that Government invite an outside team of management consultants to organize a pro- gramme to strengthen mid-level management, efficiency, and discipline. This is urgently needed especially in those Government departments having day-to-day relations with the public through junior personnel.
Courtesy to the public by Civil servants cannot be had simply by issuing a circular; it has to be motivated by a sense of loyalty, dis- cipline, and duty.
The average Civil Servant at the junior level is usually a decent and well-meaning young person. However, the improvement of his
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
357
overall efficiency and attitude to the public requires proper training and it is here that the introduction of modern management techniques within the middle and lower echelons of each Government Department will be able to reap rich rewards in improving Government's image with the public. (Applause).
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, it was agreed by all members that the Unofficial Members of this Council should be allocated two consecutive days for their speeches on the Motion for endorsement of the Statement of Aims for 1967. I now suggest that debate on this Motion be continued on Thursday, 1st December 1966, at 2.30 p.m. in this Chamber.
ADJOURNMENT-5.35 P.M.
CHAIRMAN:-That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until Thursday, 1st December, 1966 at 2.30 p.m.
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HONG KONG
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