WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1980
19
HE THOUGHT THAT THE RECENT INFLUX OF UNSKILLED LABOUR COULD BE TURNED TO SERVE A GOOD PURPOSE IF THEY WERE GIVEN SOME TRAINING AND PROPERLY UTILISED TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF MANPOWER FOR OUR EXPANDING INDUSTRY.
TRAINING FACILITIES FOR OUR EXISTING WORKFORCE SHOULD BE EXPANDED WHILE MORE ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE NEED FOR A SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE OF SKILLED SUPPORT AT THE TECHNICAL AND CRAFTSMAN LEVEL.
IN DOING THIS WE WOULD ALSO BE FULFILLING THE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR YOUNGER GENERATION TO ACQUIRE THE EXPERTISE BY WHICH THE QUALITY OF LIFE CAN BE UPLIFTED,+ DR HUANG ADDED.
COMMUNICATION ESSENTIAL BETWEEN
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND DISTRICT BOARDS
*****
A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION CHANNEL HAS TO BE OPENED UP AND MAINTAINED BETWEEN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND DISTRICT BOARDS IF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM IS MEANT TO PRODUCE RESULT, THE HON CHARLES YEUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WOULD ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMMES, POLICIES AND DECISIONS TO BE FULLY EXPLAINED AND UNDERSTOOD BY THE BOARDS AND THE PEOPLE ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE ASPIRATIONS AND SENTIMENTS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE READILY KNOWN AND CONSIDERED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ON THE OTHER.
MR YEUNG SAID THIS IN COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS THE FIRST MAJOR STEP OF IMPLEMENTING GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO CONSULT ITS PEOPLE TO ASCERTAIN THEIR WISH ON THE FORMAT OF A GOVERNMENTAL MACHINERY+.
THOUGH DISTRICT BOARDS ARE PRIMARILY INTENDED TO BE ADVISORY IN NATURE, HE SAID, IT IS ESSENTIAL THEY CARRY THE INHERENT RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE GOVERNMENT AND INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS TO EXPLAIN THE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMMES AND TO RESPOND TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE BOARDS SHOULD ALSO BE VESTED WITH CERTAIN DECISION-MAK I NG AUTHORITY, AS IS THE EXISTING PRACTICE OF FUND ALLOCATION FOR DISTRICT ACTIVITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
+THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS ENOUGH INDUCEMENT FOR PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT CALIBRE TO GIVE UP THEIR TIME AND ENERGY TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ENTRUST THE IR WELFARE TO THEM.
+OBVIOUSLY, GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FULFILL ALL THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE OR TO ACCOMPLISH THEM AS SPEEDILY AS THE PEOPLE WISH.
/+HOWEVER
+