A
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1978
PURPOSE OF A GREEN PAPER IS TO SOUND OUT PUBLIC OPINION
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GREEN PAPERS ARE AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENTS OF GOVERNMENT
PROPOSALS ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND ARE ISSUED. TO SOUND OUT THEIR OPINION, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.
HE SAID THEY WERE PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC CONSIDERATION BEFORE FINAL DECISIONS ARE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID A GREEN PAPER WAS A CHANNEL FOR THE INFLOW OF PUBLIC OPINION, AN ASSESSMENT OF WHICH WAS A VITAL FACTOR IN SOUND POLICY PLANNING.
+ IT IS IMPORTANT THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY ARE BEING CONSULTED WHEREVER PRACTICABLE ON MATTERS OF GOVERN- MENT POLICY AND PLANNING WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR DAILY LIVES,+ HE SAID.
+ALSO, IF A SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS TO BE DEVELOPED, IT IS DESIRABLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO BE SEEN TO BE TAKING PUBLIC VIEWS INTO ACCOUNT.+
A GREEN PAPER MAY TAKE SEVERAL FORMS INCLUDING A REPORT OF AN ADVISORY BODY, A REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT BY CONSULTANTS OR A DRAFT WHITE PAPER, AND ALL GREEN PAPERS CONTAINED AN INVITATION TO SUBMIT VIEWS AND OPINIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GOVERNMENT BRANCH CONCERNED.
IT WAS ONLY PUBLISHED WHERE AN ISSUE WAS OF SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC INTEREST, OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE OR WHERE THERE WAS SOME GENUINE CHOICE OF POLICY.
+A GREEN PAPER IS DISTRIBUTED AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE TO THOSE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT. THE AIM IS TO OBTAIN ACCURATE AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES WHICH MIGHT VARY GREATLY ACCORDING TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS, EDUCATIONAL BACK- GROUND AND AGE, HE SAID.
+WHEN OPINION HAS BEEN ASSESSED, IT MAY SOMETIMES BE DESIRABLE TO PUBLISH A WHITE PAPER CONTAINING A STATEMENT OF THE DECIDED POLICY, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED,
FOUR GREEN PAPERS HAD BEEN ISSUED RECENTLY: SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY SENIOR SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.
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