WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1980
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ADVISORY ROLE OF DABS NOT CONFINED TO LOCAL AFFAIRS
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THE ADVISORY ROLE OF DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS (DABS) IS BY NO MEANS CONFINED TO PURELY LOCAL AFFAIRS, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUT KAM, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR CHU! SAID DABS WERE INVITED TO ADVISE ON ISSUES HAVING NEW TERRITORIES-WIDE OR HONG KONG-WIDE IMPLICATIONS AND AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF LOCAL INHABITANTS.
HE SAID THE GREATER EMPHASIS ON DISTRICT MANAGEMENT, LOCAL RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK OF DABS WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WELL-BEING OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.
+THIS, IN TURN, CAN HELP DAB MEMBERS DEVELOP THEMSELVES INTO A GENUINE FOCUS OF LOCAL REPRESENTATION, MR CHUI SAID.
SINCE NOVEMBER, 1977, HE SAID, DABS WERE CONSULTED ABOUT 400 TIMES ON VARIOUS ISSUES, INCLUDING PROPOSED LEGISLATION, GREEN PAPERS, SOCIAL SERVICES PROBLEMS AND OTHER LOCAL ISSUES.
SPEAKING AT THE CITY LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, MR CHU SAID THE GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION HAD EMPHASISED THE
IMPORTANT ROLE OF CONSULTATION PERFORMED BY ADVISORY COMMITTEES, AND THE PROPOSAL WAS TO UPGRADE DABS TO DISTRICT BOARDS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTED MEMBERS AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY UNOFFICIALS.
+KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL PROBLEMS AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL PRIORITIES AND THE ADAPTATION OF POLICY OBJECTIVES TO SUIT LOCAL SITUATIONS WILL BE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT, HE SAID.
MR CHUI SAID DABS HAD BEEN SET UP TO ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO THE LINKS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND INVOLVE MORE LOCAL RESIDENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND BETTERMENT OF THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY HAD TWO DISTINCTIVE ROLES TO PLAY
AS EXECUTIVE.
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ADVISORY AS WELL
THEY WERE ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ON ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON PROVISION AND USE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.
AS REGARDS THE EXECUTIVE ROLE, DABS WERE ALSO ESTABLISHED TO UNDERTAKE PROMOTION OF RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL PROJECTS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS.
OFFICIALS
THERE WERE THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF DAB MEMBERS FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, WHO WERE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS AND APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS.
+THE PRESENCE OF OFFICIALS FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CAN SERVE TWO PURPOSES,+
/+FIRSTLY, IT