THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1981
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GOVERNOR INAUGURATES FIRST DISTRICT BOARD
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ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DISTRICT BOARD WOULD BRING NEW LIFE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF KWUN TONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
PRESIDING AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD, THE FIRST OF 10 NEW BOARDS TO BE SET UP IN KOWLOON AND ON HONG KONG ISLAND BEFORE APRIL 1982, SIR MURRAY SAID THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST STAGE IN ESTABLISHING NEW DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN THE URBAN AREA.
HE SAID THE NEW STEP TOWARDS LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE EVIDENT WISH OF PEOPLE TO HAVE MORE INFLUENCE OVER LOCAL ADMINISTRATION, AND BY THE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PARTICIPATION WHICH WAS SO APPARENT IN THE WORK OF MANY BODIES, INCLUDING THE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, THE KAIFONG ASSOCIATIONS, THE AREA COMMITTEES AND PARTICULARLY THE CITY DISTRICT COMMITTEES.
HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THESE DIVERSE BODIES. THE NEW STEP WE TAKE CAN ONLY SUCCEED WITH THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT, HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF DISTRICT BOARDS HAVING AN INCREASING INFLUENCE ON THE WAY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES ARE DRAFTED AND IMPLEMENTED TO MEET DISTRICT NEEDS.
+A STRONG MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL COMPLEMENT TO THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE URBAN AREA AS HAS BEEN PROVED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE ADDED.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD:
+THIS INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD ESTABLISHES THE FIRST OF 10 NEW BOARDS WHICH WILL BE SET UP IN KOWLOON AND ON HONG KONG ISLAND BEFORE APRIL 1982, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FIRSTLY BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST STAGE IN ESTABLISHING NEW DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN THE URBAN AREA. BUT ALSO BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WILL BRING NEW LIFE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF KWUN TONG.
+THIS NEW STEP TOWARDS LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY THE EVIDENT WISH OF PEOPLE TO HAVE MORE INFLUENCE OVER LOCAL ADMINISTRATION, AND BY THE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PARTICIPATION WHICH HAS BEEN SO APPARENT IN THE WORK OF MANY BODIES INCLUDING THE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, THE KAIFONG ASSOCIATIONS, THE AREA COMMITTEES AND PARTICULARLY THE CITY DISTRICT COMMITTEES. THE MEMBERS OF THESE DIVERSE BODIES HAVE DONE AND DO MAGNIFICENT WORK. THEY MAY BE BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO CAMPAIGNS FOR KEEPING HONG KONG CLEAN, FIGHTING CRIME, PROVISION OF RECREATION SPORT AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES, FIGHTING NARCOTIC ADDICTION AND SO ON. BUT THE DECISION TO ESTABLISH DISTRICT BOARDS WITH WIDER RESPONSIBILITIES WAS BASED UPON THE SUCCESS OF THE DISTRICT COMMITTEES AND THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE RECEIVED FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN EACH DISTRICT. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THESE PUBLIC-SPIRITED PEOPLE WHO OVER THE YEARS HAVE SERVED THE COMMUNITY IN THIS WAY. THE NEW STEP WE TAKE TODAY CAN ONLY SUCCEED WITH THE IR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
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