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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
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Proposal: The Democratic Party suggests that District Boards should be provided with more resources to perform their duties in effectively carrying out environmental improvement and community involvement projects.
Conclusion:
To conclude, the Democratic Party thinks suggestions given in the Consultation Document cannot expressly meet the needs of our time. Neither can the suggestions reflect the public's pursuit for democracy. As such, the Party thinks district organisations should be reformed along the following directions. The principle of district organisations supervising the operation of government executive mechanism is very important. Below are suggestions in accordance with that principle:
(i) To open up channels for public political participation, district organisations should be formed through general election. In other words, all appointed, ex-officio and indirectly elected seats should be abolished. (ii) Support for the merging of the two municipal councils so as to streamline
the executive structure and for maintaining of 18 District Boards. (iii) The Democratic Party suggests that the two municipal services departments be combined into one. In addition to continuing to take up their original culture, recreation and entertainment functions, this new department will be put solely in charge of territory-wide food safety and environmental health functions. This will solve the problem of too much division of duties and improve executive efficiency. The new combined municipal council will be responsible for formulating policies and supervising the executive department's work.
(iv) The Democratic Party suggests that a 'Food Safety Bureau' be set up within the structure of the new combined municipal council. This new bureau will be responsible for formulating food safety policies. It will invite and appoint professionals and scholars in the medical, nursing and food hygiene fields to sit on it.
(v) District Boards should be provided with more resources to carry out their duties so as to effectively operate environmental improvement and community involvement projects.
Democratic Party
13 July 1998
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