英文

Editorial : Avoid Role Duplication in Government Restructuring

【明報專訊】The restructuring plan for the incoming government has been finalised. The current structure of 3 departments and 13 bureaux will be expanded to 3 departments and 15 bureaux. Three new positions will also be added: the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, the Deputy Financial Secretary and the Deputy Secretary for Justice. To a certain extent it is the general consensus in the political sector that the structure of the government be adjusted according to practical needs by, for example, forming an independent Housing Bureau and adding a Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. As for whether the addition of the three new Deputy Secretaries will, as expected by Chief Executive (CE)-elect John Lee, enhance the government's governance and coordination capabilities, it will depend on the positioning of the Deputy Secretaries, their actual authority and the assignment of responsibilities. With appropriate arrangements, they can become the Chief Secretaries' right-hand men and improve interdepartmental coordination to fulfil the "result-oriented" policy vision. But if handled improperly, the problem of role duplication may easily ensue — too many cooks spoil the broth. The authorities should list out the three Deputy Secretaries' authority and responsibility and actual duties as clearly as possible. They should also recruit able people to fill the posts to guarantee that the anticipated effects can be achieved in practice under the new system.

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