FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1980
GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG
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A GREEN PAPER ENTITLED +A PATTERN OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG+ WAS PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT TODAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE PAPER PUTS FORWARD PROPOSALS PRINCIPALLY DIRECTED TO THE BETTER CO-ORDINATION AND RESPONSIVENESS OF ADMINISTRATION AT DISTRICT LEVEL, AND TO THE GREATER PARTICIPATION OF THE RESIDENTS OF EACH DISTRICT IN IT.
THE SUGGESTED CHANGES INDICATE GOVERNMENT'S PRIME CONCERN WITH IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND WITH STRENGTHENING THE LINKS BETWEEN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRICTS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AS CENTRAL DIRECTION HAD TO BE MAINTAINED, WITH STABILITY BEING VITALLY IMPORTANT, THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION OF CHANGING THE STATUS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OR OF ALTERING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.
MOREOVER BUDGETARY POLICY, THE CONTROL OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND OF THE MAIN PROGRAMMES OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CENTRALLY DIRECTED.
+BUT THERE IS MUCH SCOPE HE SAID +FOR THE INHABITANTS OF INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS TO HAVE MORE SAY OVER THE IMPACT, ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CENTRAL SERVICES AND POLICIES, AND TO HAVE BETTER AND MORE UNIFORM CHANNELS FOR BRINGING THEIR VIEWS TO BEAR ON THE GOVERNMENT.
STRESSING THE FACT THAT THE GREEN PAPER WAS A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PROPOSALS WERE PRESENTED IN THE BELIEF THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
THIS COULD BEST BE ACHIEVED, IT WAS FELT, THROUGH THE STIMULUS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
THREE MONTHS HAD BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THOSE INTERESTED TO STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF THE PLAN AND, BASED ON COMMENTS RECEIVED, IT WAS HOPED TO INTRODUCE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION EARLY NEXT YEAR, FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF A WHITE PAPER.
THE GREEN PAPER RELATED BOTH TO THE NEW TERRITORIES AND TO THE URBAN AREA OF KOWLOON AND HONG KONG ISLAND,
FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES IT WAS SUGGESTED
* TO INTRODUCE AN ELECTED ELEMENT TO DISTRICT ADVISORY
BOARDS - (WHICH WOULD BE RETITLED DISTRICT BOARDS)-
* EACH ELECTED MEMBER WOULD REPRESENT A SEPARATE CONSTITUENCY
IN THE AREA SERVED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD-
* ELECTION WOULD BE BY ALL. ADULTS OVER THE AGE OF 21 RESIDING
IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WITH MORE THAN THREE YEARS' RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG.
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