SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1981
5
BRING BACK SELF-RELIANCE, SAYS TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGER
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THE SELF-MANAGEMENT AND SELF-RELIANCE OF THE OLD RURAL SOCIETY SHOULD BE REVIVED FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGER, DR JAMES HAYES, SAID TODAY (SATRUDAY).
DR HAYES WAS SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR ABOUT RESCUING THE NEW TERRITORIES PAST, ORGANISED BY THE PENINSULA JAYCEES.
HE SAID THAT FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, GOVERNMENT HAD DONE MORE AND MORE FOR ITS PEOPLE AND IN SOME RESPECTS EXPECTED TOO LITTLE FROM THEM BY WAY OF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION AND PERSONAL
INVOLVEMENT.
+THIS CAN BREED OVER-RELIANCE ON GOVERNMENT AND AN ATTITUDE OF MIND WHICH BLAMES GOVERNMENT FOR ANY SHORTCOMINGS OR ANYTHING THAT GOES WRONG, HE SAID.
HE SAID THE URBAN POPULATION, LIVING UNDER CROWDED CONDITIONS AND WITH FEW CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, HAD VERY LITTLE BACKGROUND TO PROVIDE A CONTEXT TO THEIR LIVES OR GIVE IT ANY PERSPECTIVE.
+THEY NEED ROOTS AND THE REALISATION OF A CONTINUING TRADITION TO HELP THEM LEAD MORE INTERESTING LIVES, HE SAID.
BY CONTRAST, THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD ALWAYS BEEN STRONG.
VILLAGE LEADERS, THEN AND NOW, TOOK A VERY ACTIVE PART IN SPORTING, CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL PROMOTION AND CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY TO BUILDING UP COMMUNITY LIFE OF THE NEW TOWNS AND GIVING THEM AN IDENTITY, HE SAID.
+THIS CONTRIBUTION SURELY SPRINGS FROM THE IR ROOTS IN THE PLACE AND FROM THE LONG TRADITION OF SELF-HELP AND SELF-INSTRUCTION IN THE VILLAGE CULTURE THAT HAS DESCENDED TO THEM AND INFLUENCED THEIR LIVES, HE SAID.
+WHAT HAS BEEN GOOD FOR THE 6 000 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF TSUEN WAN MUST BE GOOD FOR ITS 700 000 INHABITANTS,
+ IF ROOTS AND A SENSE OF TRADITION BENEFIT THE OLD TSUEN WAN POPULATION, THEN THE SOONER WE PROVIDE BOTH FOR THE 700 000 THE BETTER. +
/DR HAYES