THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1980
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+BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT GREATER EFFORT BE MADE, PERHAPS WITH THE HELP OF THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMME, TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO SPEND WHATEVER FREE TIME THEY HAVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE COHESION OF THE FAMILY UNIT.+
DR HO ALSO SPOKE ON THE GREEN PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.
+ IF DISTRICT BOARDS COULD BE EMPOWERED TO SUPERVISE AND CENSURE GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AND ACTIVITIES AND TO FORMULATE POLICIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SERVING IN THE DISTRICTS, THEY WOULD BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
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+ IF THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT PERMIT CONSIDERATION OF THESE ROLES. I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WILL KEEP THIS SUGGESTION IN MIND UNTIL IT BELIEVES THAT THE PUBLIC HAS GAINED SUFFICIENT RESPONSIBILITY AND SOPHISTICATION FROM THE IR PARTICIPATION IN THE PRESENT WIDE NETWORK OF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES, HE SAID.
DR HO CONSIDERED THAT THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS FOR A SINGLE CONSTITUENCY COMPRISING 250 000 PEOPLE SHOULD BE INCREASED TO THREE.
+THE MERIT OF INCREASED ELECTED REPRESENTATION WILL ENHANCE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AS A FORUM FOR DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNED AND THE GOVERNMENT, AND WILL ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO GO TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAYŚ, +
HE SAID THE GREEN PAPER HAD NOT INDICATED IN CLEAR TERMS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNOR HAD MENTIONED IN HIS ADDRESS THAT +IN NO DISTRICT WILL WE PROCEED TO THE SETTING UP OF A DISTRICT BOARD UNTIL AN ADEQUATE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE IS IN PLACE TO WORK WITH IT+, DR HO ASKED WHAT ASSURANCES WERE THERE THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WOULD TAKE HEED OF THE BOARD'S DECISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
AS REGARDS VOTING QUALIFICATION, HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF KEEPING IT TO THE MINIMUM - THAT IS, 21 YEARS OF AGE AND THREE YEARS OF RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG.
+ THE LIBERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR VOTING AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, I BELIEVE, WILL FACILITATE THE CREATION OF A MORE INTEGRATED, STABLE COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG, DR HO SAID.
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