UMELCO panels
panels meet
regularly regularly with senior government officials. Issues and policies of importance are discussed at these meetings the and may be debated and publicly questioned at meetings of
Council. Legislative
Meanwhile UMELCO and the Hong Kong
Government are also reviewing current avenues for the redress of individual grievances, and hope soon to publish consultative
proposals
independent an complaints of maladministration by Government departments.
1.9
to
create
organisation
to
review
The only bodies participating in the Government of Hong Kong that consist entirely of members of the public are URBCO and REGCO. 15 of URBCO's 30 members are elected; the remainder are the appointed by the Governor from among prominent members of community. The most recent elections were held in March 1986. areas of Hong URBCO's responsibilities are limited to the urban
Kong Island,
about (where, altogether,
three-quarters
Its main duties
recreational
Kowloon and
of
and
New Kowloon
the population
population live).
the control of
are
and cultural
public hygiene, facilities. On 1 April 1986 a new
1986 a new REGCO was established with the same powers and functions in the New Territories as URBCO has in the urban area: 12 of REGCO's 36 members are directly elected; 12 are appointed by the Governor; 9 are indirectly elected by the of the District Boards; and 3 are ex-officio representatives indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories.
1.10
District Boards
(and associated District Management Committees) were established in 1982 in 18 districts, 10 in the
area
and 8
in the New
mat
Territories.
The Boards
Boards, paz
the Government
the people at a
district
urban
elected
advise and part appointed, affecting the well-being of Elections to the Boards were first held in the new Territori March 1982, and in the urban area in September 1982. round of elections were held in March 1985, when the numb
Boards was
by increased to 19; 213 seats were contested 500 candidates, and over 476,000, or one third of the reg:
electorate of 1.4 million voted.
The seco
-5-