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Contrary to what its name suggests, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is not confined to the display of tea ware only. Apart from displaying the Council's collection of tea ware, exhibitions at Flagstaff House also include as far as possible ceramic objects relevant to the theme of each exhibition. Hence in the current Purple Clay Wares of Yixing Exhibition, besides teapots, figurines and other ceramic objects which illustrate the achievements of the Yixing potters are also being featured. It is the intention that this practice will continue.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):--May I ask questions in this instance?
CHAIRMAN (in English):--As the chairman is not here, you may ask questions, and if it cannot be answered, then I will arrange to have the answer sent to you in written form.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):--No question.
2.
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG asked the following question (in English):--Could this Council be informed of the result if any of the study carried by the Management Audit Unit within the Urban Services Department?
DR. THE HONOURABLE KIM CHAM, Chairman of the Administration Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):--This question concerns the work of the Management Services and Audit Unit (MSAU) of the Urban Services Department. (I believe that Mr. WONG was actually referring to the MSAU although the question makes mention of the 'Management Audit Unit').
As Members may recall, the MSAU was set up in January this year by amalgamating the former Management Audit Unit (formed in April 1981) and the former Management Services Unit (set up in October 1983). The MSAU is headed by a Chief Management Services Officer.
The MSAU is charged with the responsibility of reviewing the operations of the Urban Services Department with the purpose of improving management and operational efficiency and optimising utilization of available resources.
Since its formation, the MSAU has identified in its various projects potential savings to the Urban Council amounting to $22 million in recurrent costs and $13 million in non-recurrent costs, of which savings of $2 million have been realized by 15 September 1984. The major part of these savings arises from a study of the Council's refuse and junk collection services and district cleansing services.
Detailed reports on the work of the MSAU will be submitted on a quarterly basis to Members of the Administration Select Committee and the Finance Select Committee.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask if the MSAU would look into the cost effectiveness of the works and the services currently carried out by other Government departments, such as the maintenance of UC complexes, operation and maintenance of the mechanical and electrical plants and vehicles, etc.?
DR. THE HONOURABLE KIM CHAM (in English):--Sir, it is not under the working brief at the moment as these services are not in the direct jurisdiction of the Urban Council. However, if the Council so wishes and if approved by the Standing Committee, we can, of course, review the effects of the results of the work of these various bodies provided to the Urban Council.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):--Mr. Chairman, with exception of the chief of the Management Services and Audit Unit, whom I understand is seconded from Government, may I ask whether the rest of the officers serving under him are professionally qualified for their jobs, in other words, do they have formal management training or do they have professional degrees in auditing, etc.?
DR. THE HONOURABLE Kim Cham (in English):--Mr. Chairman, the Controller who is the head of the Unit is qualified and leads up the Unit, he himself, of course, has experience in the field. There are some staff who are experienced and some less experienced than he is, mainly because the Unit is new and furthermore talent in this particular area is not freely available. Basically even when one is well-versed in management techniques and training, one will still have to be familiarized with circumstances and conditions in the Urban Council and Urban Services Department, such that, some who are experienced with other who are less experienced is inevitable, it is a new Unit which is being built up and the matter will be further looked into and talent will be developed.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):--Mr. Chairman, with due respect, Dr. Kim CHAM skirted around my question. I ask whether the subordinates of the chief officer are professionally qualified, not whether they have any practical experience, so it is the professional qualification in management studies or auditing that I am concerned about, not whether they have experience.
CHAIRMAN (in English):--I want you to get a reasonable reply; Dr. the Honourable Kim CHAM. Would you like to amplify further?
DR. THE HONOURABLE Kim Cham (in English):--Mr. Chairman, of course, I would not have the background of the individual officer at hand freely available, I will certainly need notice to find that out, I love to know the educational background of individuals. But having said that I think management studies is a subject which is a multi-disciplinary subject. For instance, the Controller of the Unit has had degrees in economics and mathematics, now whether he is well-versed completely in all aspects of management, one will of course be able to
Page 127 of 233
Page 127 of 233
214
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Contrary to what its name suggests, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is not confined to the display of tea ware only. Apart from displaying the Council's collection of tea ware, exhibitions at Flagstaff House also include as far as possible ceramic objects relevant to the theme of each exhibition. Hence in the current Purple Clay Wares of Yixing Exhibition, besides teapots, figurines and other ceramic objects which illustrate the achievements of the Yixing potters are also being featured. It is the intention that this practice will continue.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):--May I ask questions in this instance?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-As the chairman is not here, you may ask questions, and if it cannot be answered, then I will arrange to have the answer sent to you
in written form.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):---No question.
2.
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG asked the following question (in English):~ Could this Council be informed of the result if any of the study carried by the Management Audit Unit within the Urban Services Department?
DR. THE HONOURABLE KIM Cham, ChairmaN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):--This question concerns the work of the Management Services and Audit Unit (MSAU) of the Urban Services Department. (I believe that Mr. WONG was actually referring to the MSAU although the question makes mention of the 'Management Audit Unit').
As Members may recall, the MSAU was set up in January this year by amalgamating the former Management Audit Unit (formed in April 1981) and the former Management Services Unit (set up in October 1983). The MSAU is headed by a Chief Management Services Officer.
The MSAU is charged with the responsibility of reviewing the operations of the Urban Services Department with the purpose of improving management and operational efficiency and optimising utilization of available resources.
Since its formation, the MSAU has identified in its various projects potential savings to the Urban Council amounting to $22 million in recurrent costs and $13 million in non-recurrent costs, of which savings of $2 million have been realized by 15 September 1984. The major part of these savings arises from a study of the Council's refuse and junk collection services and district cleansing services.
Detailed reports on the work of the MSAU will be submitted on a quarterly basis to Members of the Administration Select Committee and the Finance Select Committee.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 127 of 233
215
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask if the MSAU would look into the cost effectiveness of the works and the services currently carried out by other Government departments, such as the maintenance of UC complexes, operation and maintenance of the mechanical and electrical plants and vehicles, etc.?
DR. THE HONOURABLE KIM CHAM (in English):-Sir, it is not under the working brief at the moment as these services are not in the direct jurisdiction of the Urban Council. However, if the Council so wishes and if approved by the Standing Committee, we can, of course, review the effects of the results of the work of these various bodies provided to the Urban Council.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, with exception of the chief of the Management Services and Audit Unit, whom I understand is seconded from Government, may I ask whether the rest of the officers serving under him are professional qualified for their jobs, in other words, do they have formal management training or do they have professional degrees in auditing, etc.?
DR. THE HONOURABLE Kim Cham (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the Controller who is the head of the Unit is qualified and leads up the Unit, he himself, of course, has experience in the field. There are some staff who are experienced and some less experienced than he is, mainly because the Unit is new and furthermore talent in this particular area is not freely available. Basically even when one is well-versed in management techniques and training, one will still have to be familiarized with circumstances and conditions in the Urban Council and Urban Services Department, such that, some who are experienced with other who are less experienced is inevitable, it is a new Unit which is being built up and the matter will be further looked into and talent will be developed.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, with due respect, Dr. Kim CHAM skirted around my question. I ask whether the subordinates of the chief officer is professionally qualified, not whether they have any practical experience, so it is the professional qualification in management studies or auditing that I am concerned about, not whether they have experience.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I want you to get a reasonable reply; Dr. the Honourable Kim CHAM Would you like to amplify further?
DR. THE HONOUrable Kim Cham (in English):—Mr. Chairman, of course, I would not have the background of the individual officer at hand freely available, I will certainly need notice to find that out, I love to know the educational background of individuals. But having said that I think management studies is a subject which is a multi-disciplinary subject. For instance, the Controller of the Unit has had degrees in economics and mathematics, now whether he is well- versed completely in all aspects of management, one will of course be able to
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