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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1981
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DISTRICT BOARDS WILL ALSO ADVISE HOW FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR DISTRICT PROJECTS ARE TO BE USED AND, WHERE FUNDS ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PURPOSE, BE ABLE TO USE THEM FOR MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND FOR PROMOTION OF RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE DISTRICTS.
SOME $3.5 MILLION ARE EXPECTED TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR SUCH USE IN THE URBAN AREA AND $12.2 MILLION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.
THESE SUMS ARE SUBSTANTIAL COMPARED WITH THE PRESENT ALLOCATION OF $0.5 MILLION IN THE URBAN AREA (FOR XWUN TONG ONLY) AND $6 MILLION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, SIR JACK SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO ALL THE VIEWS AND COMMENTS IN THE MEDIA AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ON THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION PROPOSALS. NATURALLY NOT ALL THE VIEWS WERE COMPATIBLE AND NOT ALL OF THEM COULD BE ACCOMMODATED.
+FOR EXAMPLE THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSED THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTORAL CONSTITUENCIES BOTH FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL. THERE WAS BOTH SUPPORT FOR AND ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL. BUT THE ENTIRE THRUST OF THE GREEN PAPER, CONFIRMED IN THE WHITE PAPER, IS ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. THIS BEING SO IT MAKES OBVIOUS SENSE TO HAVE ELECTIONS FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL BASED ON CONSTITUENCIES LINKED TO THE DISTRICTS THEMSELVES.
+THE PUBLIC RESPONSE ON THIS POINT OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTS THIS VIEW. THE GOVERNMENT AGREES AND WILL PROCEED WITH CONSTITUENCY BASED ELECTIONS RATHER THAN WITH TERRITORY-WIDE ELECTIONS OR A TWO-TIER SYSTEM INVOLVING BOTH METHODS,+ SIR JACK SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER WERE FOR IMPROVING DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND WERE NOT AN EXERCISE IN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE.
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+THE CENTRAL ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT, THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, HAVE EVOLVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE AND THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG DICTATE, + HE SAID.
DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER WAS ADJOURNED.
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