WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1981
WHITE PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION: PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP ******
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE ADVICE OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS PROPOSED TO BE SET UP WILL BE IGNORED OR NOT ACCEPTED WITHOUT VERY GOOD REASON BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR JACK CATER SAID IN AMPLIFICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TODAY.
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HE SAID +IF THIS WERE NOT THE CASE, IF WE AS A GOVERNMENT WERE NOT SEEN TO BE MOST GENUINE AND KEEN TO INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN DISTRICT AFFAIRS: IF WE WERE SEEN TO BE LESS THAN SINCERE IN OUR DESIRE, OUR DETERMINATION, TO BE A CONSULTING AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT, THEN BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHERS - WOULD LOSE HEART AND BECOME DISPIRITED AND FRUSTRATED AND OUR GRAND DESIGN TO IMPROVE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY MORE, MUCH MORE,
IN THE IR DAY TO DAY AFFAIR WILL HAVE FAILED.+
+BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED THAT THERE WILL BE NO FAILURE THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL: THAT WE SHALL PLAY OUR PART TO THE FULL, SIR JACK SAID.
IN A SPEECH MOVING DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR JACK SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WAS A SATISFYING LIFE IN A SATISFYING, CONTENTED COMMUNITY.
+ BUT THIS AIM, SURELY, CAN ONLY BE MET BY THE CREATION OF A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP. SUCH A PARTNERSHIP WOULD BE DIFFICULT, PERHAPS IMPOSSIBLE TO CULTIVATE UNLESS THE PEOPLE USE, WITH ENERGY AND RESPONSIBILITY, THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES DIRECTLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP OF THE DISTRICTS IN WHICH THEY LIVE.+
THE WHITE PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, HE SAID, SETS OUT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS TO PROVIDE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES:
+IT IS A CHALLENGE TO US ALL, TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, INCLUDING - PERHAPS IN PARTICULAR -
PERHAPS IN PARTICULAR - MEMBERS OF THIS GOVERNMENT. +
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD, AS THEY HAD DONE SO OFTEN IN THE PAST, USE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES WELL AND TO THE IR ADVANTAGE.
ON THE MAIN PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER, SIR JACK STRESSED THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS, ALTHOUGH MAINLY ADVISORY IN NATURE, WOULD HAVE SUBSTANTIAL POWER OF INFLUENCE OVER DISTRICT LEVELS,
+THIS IS BECAUSE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE MONITORING THE PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE ABLE, AND WILL BE ENCOURAGED, TO DISCUSS A VERY WIDE RANGE OF MATTERS WHICH AFFECT THE WELL-BEING OF RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE WORKING IN THE DISTRICTS.+
/DISTRICT BOARDS