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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1981
+GOOD MANNER AND CIVILITY ARE, THEREFORE, THE POSTULATES FOR THE SELECTION OF LEADING POSTS AND FOR COMMUNITY-BASED APPOINTMENTS IN OUR GOVERNMENT AS THE IMAGE, WHICH THEY PROJECT, REFLECTS THE DENTALITY AND ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT, HE NOTED.
TURNING TO THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, MR YEUNG SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD BE OPEN TO PARTICIPATION OF THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASS-ROOT LEVEL.
HE DISAGREED WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT AS MUCH OF THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE INVOLVES DETAIL PLANNING, MONITORING A CO-ORDINATION OF THE WORKS PROGRAMME AND PROJECTS, THE PRESEL.CE OF UNCFFICIALS WILL SERVE NO MEANINGFUL PURPOSE.
HE THOUGHT THE PARTICIPATION OF UNOFFICIALS IN THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WOULD ERING PRESSURE ON DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE TO BE MORE CO-OPERATIVE AND REASONABLE +FOR HE KNOWS THAT THE PROPOSED SCHEME MAY NOT REST AT THAT LEVEL AND HE MAY HAVE TO JUSTIFY HIS OBJECTION IN A HIGHER FORUM AND HIS VIEW MAY BE PUT TO ACID TEST BY OTHER EXPERTS.+
+FURTHERMORE+, MR YEUNG NOTED, THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM IN ITS ENTIRETY IS THE BEST TRAINING GROUND FOR LOCAL GRASS-ROOTS LEADERS TO ACQUIRE THE SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE OF ADMINISTRATION.
+ IS IT FAIR TO DENY LOCAL LEADERS IN THE MAKE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SUCH TRAINING AND IS IT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG TO BE DEPRIVED OF TRAINED AND ADEPT LEADERS?+ HE QUERIED.
DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI THOUGHT THAT IN ADDITION TO IMPROVED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE PROPOSAL IN THE WHITE PAPER WOULD HAVE FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS ON CIVIC DEVELOPMENT.
IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, HE SAID, AS OPPORTUNITIES ARE EE ING CULTIVATED FOR GRASS-ROOTS INPUTS INTO THE DECISION-MAK I NG PROCESS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, MORE RESIDENTS WILL COME FORWARD TO TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE LOCAL MATTERS THAT HAVE A HEARING ON THE IR DAILY LIFE.
+WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS, LOCAL RESIDENTS WILL FEEL THAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM AND THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS SHORTENED AND THEY WILL REALISE THAT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE ON THE ONE HAND, AND IS RECEPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO PUBLIC VIEWS AND REQUESTS ON THE OTHER, + MR HO SAID.
+THEY WILL GRADUALLY COME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE, TO A GREATER EXTENT THAN EVER BEFORE, THE ARCHITECTS OF THE IR ENVIRONMENT AND LIVES.+
IN THE MORE DISTANT FUTURE, THE RESIDENTS WOULD, OUT OF PRIDE, SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENTS AND INVOLVEMENT, DEVELOP AN IDENTIFICATION WITH, AND SUBSEQUENTLY A FEELING OF BELONG ING TO, THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
+THIS CIVIC SPIRIT WILL GIVE IMPETUS TO GREATER LOCAL INVOLVEMENT, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE CLOSE-KNIT, MORE MUTUALLY CARING COMMUNITY, + HE SAID.
AS THE