THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1979
REGIONAL COMMISSIONER EXPLAINS HIS NEW JOB
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THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING POPULATION AND ECONOMY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS CALLED FOR A MORE DECENTRALISED ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT'S FUNCTIONS ARE EFFICIENTLY CARRIED OUT AND CO-ORDINATED ON THE GROUND, THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JIMMY SWEETMAN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HE SAID 1 HONG KONG HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN GOVERNED UNDER A VERY CENTRALISED SYSTEM.
+AND IT IS PROBABLY ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASE THAT A DEGREE OF DECENTRALISATION IN THE FORM OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION CAME ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE,+
MR. SWEETMAN, ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE TAI PING SHAN LIONS CLUB, DESCRIBED HIS POST AS A PRELIMINARY STEP IN BRINGING ABOUT A GREATER DEGREE OF DECENTRALISATION IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG+.
THE NORTHWEST REGION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL COMPRISE FOUR DISTRICTS - TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, TAI PO AND A NEW NORTH DISTRICT, STRETCHING FROM KVU TUNG TO SHA TAU KOK.
THE IDEA OF HAVING A NORTHWEST REGION, MR. SWEETMAN SAID, WAS TO CONCENTRATE THE EFFORTS OF ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND IN RESPONSE TO THE DESIRES OF THE PEOPLE GOING TO LIVE IN THE REGION TOWARDS PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE NEW ENVIRONMENT WORKING IN BETTER PLANNED FACTORIES AND ENJOYING THE SPREAD OF AMENITIES FROM THE SOPHISTICATED TOWN CENTRES TO THE EASILY ACCESSIBLE RECREATIONAL AREAS TO GIVE THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE THAN THEY COULD HOPE FOR IN THE ALREADY OVER-DEVELOPED AND OFTEN OVER-PRICED URBAN AREA.
MR. SWEETMAN SAID HE WAS NOT A SUPER DISTRICT OFFICER+ AND THE DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THE DISTRICT OFFICERS' CONTROL, THUS ENABLING HIM TO REVIEW PROGRESS AND WORK OUT AND IMPLEMENT NEW POLICIES.
BROADLY SPEAKING, HE CONTINUED, THE DUTIES WOULD CONSIST OF CO-ORDINATING AND MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY ENSURING THAT THIS POLICY WAS EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE AND THEIR OPINIONS ON IT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES WERE CONSIDERED AND CONVEYED TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PROVIDING A HIGH STANDARD OF COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE REGION.
+MY FIRST TASK OF CO-ORDINATING AND MONITORING WILL CENTRE ON THE NEW TOWN DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WHERE PROGRESS IN DEVELOPMENT WORK, COMMUNITY BUILDING, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MATTER IS REVIEWED EVERY TWO MONTHS,+ MR. SWEETMAN SAID.
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