FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1981
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AKERS-JONES SPEAKS AT INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY FORUM
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD AN INTERNATIONAL FOPERTY FORUM TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP OF MULT -STOREY BUILDINGS AND HIGH-DENSITY LIVING CLEARLY LED TOOLATION AMONG FAMILIES AND NEGLECT OF THE COMMON PARTS OF BUILDINGS.
+BUT OUR RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO ENCOURAGE GOOD MANAGEMENT BY THE FORMATION OF LINKS AMONG OWNERS AND TENANTS AND WE AIM TO HAVE A MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE OR OWNERS' ASSOCIATION AS WE CALL THEM IN EVERY MULTI-STOREY BUILDING,+ HE SAID.
PARADOXICALLY, HE SAID, OUR PERENNIAL LACK OF WATER WAS NOW PROVING A BOON TO THE CROWDED CITY.
+WE COLLECT 70 PER CENT OF OUR WATER SUPPLY FROM OUR HILLS AND MOUNTAINS BY CHANNELLING RAIN WATER RUN-OFF INTO STORAGE RESERVOIRS.-
THE HILLS AND MOUNTAINS WERE THUS PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPMENT AND AS A RESULT 40 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S LAND AREA WAS NOW MANAGED AND DEVELOPED AS COUNTRY PARK LAND WHERE DEVELOPMENT WAS STRICTLY CONTROLLED AND WHERE AT WEEKENDS AND ON HOLIDAYS PEOPLE COULD ESCAPE FROM THE PRESSURES OF URBAN LIFE.
MR AKERS-JONES SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO CONSTRUCTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR RECREATION WE HAD TO BRING IMAGINATION, INITIATIVE AND ENTERPRISE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEISURE AND PLEASURE TO OUR TEEMING POPULATION.
+WE NOW HAVE A NETWORK OF DEVOTED YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HONG KONG WHOSE SOLE JOB IS TO STIMULATE HEALTH-GIVING RECREATION AND CULTURAL ACTIVITY,+ HE SAID.
MR AKERS-JONES SAID IT WENT WITHOUT SAYING THAT HONG KONG'S UNIQUE GEO-POLITICAL SITUATION REQUIRED THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE MORE ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC OPINION THAN DID MANY ELECTED GOVERNMENTS.
THIS WAS DONE BY CONSULTATION AT EVERY LEVEL AND ON ANY SUBJECT- FROM THIS WE ENDEAVOURED TO OBTAIN A CONSENSUS.
THEREAFTER, LEADING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ON OUR EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS PULLED ALL POLICY PROPOSALS AND LEGISLATION INTO SHAPE.
+SO MUCH SO THAT THERE IS SCARCELY AN ACTIVITY OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS NOT ASSISTED BY A PUBLIC ADVISORY BODY, HE SAID.
JUST RECENTLY WE HAD SPLIT THE WHOLE TERRITORY INTO 18 DISTRICT BOARDS WHICH HAD A WIDE RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE ADVICE ON SUBJECTS OF CONCERN TO THE DISTRICT,
IN SO DOING THE GOVERNMENT HAD INTRODUCED YET A FURTHER PROCESS IN THE MACHINERY OF CONSULTATION WITH OUR PEOPLE.
/+GENTLEMEN, THE