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FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 1974
GOVERNMENT ALIVE TO PUBLIC OPINION
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THE DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS, MR. DAVID T.K. WONG, SAID THIS EVENING THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS MORE RESPONSIVE AND MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT THE MAN IN THE STREET THINKS THAN MOST ELECTED GOVERNMENTS IN THE WORLD.
ADDRESSING A DINNER MEETING OF THE PENINSULA LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, HE NOTED THAT THERE WAS A CURIOUS MISCONCEPTION ABROAD THAT BECAUSE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS NOT AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT TO PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO PUBLIC OPINION. +NOTHING IS FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH, HE SAID.
MR. WONG FELT THAT EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION INVOLVED A TWO-WAY FLOW OF INFORMATION AND SENTIMENT AND GOVERNMENTS WERE INCLINED TO GOVERN BEST WHEN THEY COULD TAKE. THE WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THEIR PEOPLE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN FORMULATING POLICIES OR DECISIONS.
+THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER. SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED PRECISELY TO ENABLE THE COMMON MAN TO COMMUNICATE EASILY WITH GOVERNMENT. ONE PRACTICAL TEST OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS IS THE FACT THAT WELL OVER A MILLION PEOPLE APPROACH CITY DISTRICT OFFICES EACH YEAR FOR
INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE,+ HE SAID.
MR. WONG CITED THE SYSTEM OF PUBLISHING GREEN PAPERS AND THE EXISTENCE OF MORE THAN 70 ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AS OTHER EXAMPLES, OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HEEDING PUBLIC OPINION.
HE ADDED: +A GLANCE AT THE CORRESPONDENCE COLUMNS OF THE DAILY NEWSPAPERS WILL SHOW HOW MUCH EFFORT IS BEING PUT IN BY SENIOR OFFICERS TO ANSWER QUERIES OR COMPLAINTS. THEN THERE ARE ALSO RADIO PROGRAMMES LIKE LATE CALL.+
EMPHASISING THAT GOVERNMENTS DO NOT TEND TO BE INTERESTED ONLY IN ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION, MR. WONG CONCLUDED THAT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR PEOPLES IS AN ENDLESS UNDERTAKING REQUIRING TRUST, PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.+
NOTE TO EDITORS: COPIES, OF MR. WONG'S SPEECH ARE AVAILABLE FOR
COLLECTION FROM THE G.I.S. PRESS BOXES.
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