THIS SOCIETY.
71
THE YOUNGER GENERATION THEMSELVES DEMAND THIS.
GRADUAL LOCALIZATION HELPS ERASE THE IMAGE OF EUREAUCRATISM FROM
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THIS IS BECAUSE THE NEW GENERATION OF
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS HAVE ALL GRADUALLY GAINED WORKING
EXPERIENCE IN THE HONG KONG SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND THIS MINIMIZES
AREITRARY COMMANDS WHICH ARE DIVORCED FROM REALITY.
FURTHERMORE, THEY
CAN GRADUALLY ABSORE THE AGGRESSIVE PERONAL IT IES AMONG THE NEW
GENERATION TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE OLD "OPPOSITIONISTS." IN
THE GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE POWER OF THE URBAN
COUNCIL HAS BEEN INDIRECTLY SLASHED. THE NEW SYSTEM OF DISTRICT
ELECTIONS COULD ALSO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE PERSONALITIES
AMONG THE "OPPOSITIONISTS."
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS NOW NOT
TOO INTERESTED IN THE CRUSADER-FOR-JUSTICE AND ELOQUENT-CRITIC TYPE OF
PERSONAL IT IES AND IS MORE INTERESTED IN PRESSURE GROUPS EXERCISING REAL
INFLUENCE.
1
THE SECOND ASPECT IS THE DISTRICT OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
MODEL.
THIS IS PART OF AN ORGANIZED PLAN TO IMPROVE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
THE
FRAGMENTATION WITHIN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRA-
TION HAS LONG BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CRITICISM AMONG TOP OFFICIALS
IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. IN HIS 1976 POLICY SPEECH, THE HONG
KONG GOVERNOR BROUCHT IN THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
AND ORGANIZING COORDINATING COMMITTEES CHAIRED BY DISTRICT OFFICERS TO
COORDINATE ADMINISTRATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE DISTRICT
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS SUGGESTED IN
THE GREEN PAPER ARE AN ELABORATION OF THIS MODEL THIS ALSO
CONFORMS TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF "DECENTRALIZING
ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS AND CENTRALIZING POLICYMAKING POWERS"
WHICH HAS DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. SOME PEOPLE
CRITICIZED THE PROPOSALS INCLUDED IN THE GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATION FOR NOT REALLY DECENTRALIZING POWER AND INSTEAD
STRENGTHENING CONTROL THIS CRITICISM IS A BIT ONE-SIDED
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THE