THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1981
ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS IN COMMUNITY
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IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S FERVENT HOPE THAT DISTRICT BOARDS WILL FOSTER COMMUNITY SPIRIT AT DISTRICT LEVEL AND GIVE LOCAL RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR INFLUENCE TO BEAR ON GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES AS THEY AFFECT THEIR DISTRICTS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, IN HIS ADDRESS TO OVER 1 000 EXECUTIVES AND MANAGING DIRECTORS AT THE ANNUAL FELLOWSHIP DINNER OF THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, SIR PHILIP SAID THE DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD PROVIDE ADVICE ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN EACH DISTRICT, ON THE PROVISION AND USE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES AND ON THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE DISTRICT FOR LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
+DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD, IN SHORT, IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND STIMULATE A GREATER DEGREE OF LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN IT, HE SAID.
SIR PHILIP SAID THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN A PARTICULAR DISTRICT WOULD THUS DEPEND INCREASINGLY ON THE RESIDENTS OF THAT DISTRICT, THROUGH THE ELECTION OF CANDIDATES TO THE BOARDS AND LATER BY CALLING THE IR MEMBERS TO ACCOUNT.
EARLIER, THE CHIEF SECRETARY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ORTHODOX PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY IS ASSOCIATED DIRECTLY WITH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS BY A NETWORK OF SOME 400 ADVISORY BODIES EXTENDING DOWNWARDS AND OUTWARDS FROM THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.
THE INPUT OF THESE ADVISORY BODIES - BE THEY STATUTORY OR NON-STATUTORY, STANDING OR AD HOC, SUBJECT-ORIENTED OR GEOGRAPHICALLY-ORIENTED, AUGMENTS AND COMPLEMENTS, AND PROVIDES CRITICAL COMMENTARY UPON, THE OFFICIAL VIEW OF THE DESIRABLE CONTENT OF POLICIES IN THE VARIOUS PROGRAMME AREAS.
SIR PHILIP SAID THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT SUCH INPUT IS ESSENTIAL TO PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF POLICY DECISIONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE ADDED, THIS ASSOCIATION OF ADVISORY BODIES WITH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP THE CONCEPT OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
ON CHANGES IN THE ORGANISATION OF GOVERNMENT'S INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION, SIR PHILIP SAID IT WAS A STRANGE PARADOX THAT, WHEREAS IN BUSINESS, ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES WERE REGARDED AS A VIRTUE, REFLECTING A DYNAMIC APPROACH, IN GOVERNMENT, ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES TENDED TO BE REGARDED AS BEING COSMETIC OF AS A DEVISE TO OBSCURE INDECISIVENESS.
+BUT THIS IS UNFAIR, FOR CIVIL SERVANTS ARE QUITE CAPABLE OF REALISING THAT ORGANISATION OF GOVERNMENT'S INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION MUST BE ADAPTED TO CHANGING NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES BOTH
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE UNRESPONSIVE AND INCOMPETENT,
TO AVOID BECOMING ARTHRITIC,
HE SAID.
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