THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1982
DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS' PUBLIC ROLE STRESSED
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MEMBERS OF THE YAU MA TEI DISTRICT BOARD, WHO COME FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, WERE WELL-PLACED TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT INFORMED OF PUBLIC OPINION, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, TOLD THEM TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE BOARD, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE BOARD MEMBERS' IMPRESSIVE COMMUNITY RECORD LEFT NO DOUBT THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS AND WERE PREPARED TO GIVE THEIR VALUABLE TIME TO SPEAK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE YAU MA TEI AREA.
HOWEVER, THE WORK OF THE BOARD WOULD NOT BE EASY,
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.
+FOR YAU MA TEI IS A GEOGRAPHICALLY COMPACT, BUILT-UP DISTRICT WITH OVER 170 000 RESIDENTS AND WHERE UNDEVELOPED LAND, A FAVOURABLE FACTOR WHICH WILL HELP TO SOLVE A LOT OF DISTRICT PROBLEMS, IS SCARCE, HE SAID.
SOUND ADVICE FROM THE BOARD WOULD HELP TOWARDS OPTIMUM USE OF WHAT WAS AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE, AND THE NEEDS OF THE VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE TO BE WEIGHED ONE AGAINST THE OTHER, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.
+ IN THIS PROCESS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL NEED TO ADOPT A SYMPATHETIC AND YET RATIONAL APPROACH IN ORDER TO DO JUSTICE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
+ I AM SURE THAT WITH THEIR DEDICATION, ENTHUSIASM AND PROVEN ABILITY, MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WILL HAVE NO DIFFICULTY IN MEETING THE CHALLENGE, HE SAID.
MR CHEONG-LEEN POINTED OUT THAT YAU MA TEI WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST DEVELOPED AREAS IN THE KOWLOON PENINSULA AND THE LAUNCHING OF THE BOARD MARKED AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME.
SPEAKING OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AS A MAJOR LAND USER MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID IT HAD FIVE MAJOR PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE, COSTING OVER $300 MILLION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THESE INCLUDED THE TSIM SHA TSUI CULTURAL COMPLEX WHICH WOULD BE HONG KONG'S PRINCIPAL VENUE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, ONE SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX, AN INDOOR STADIUM, AND TWO MARKET COMPLEXES WITH CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
HE SAID THE BOARD WOULD HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN ADVISING HOW THE FACILITIES COULD BE BEST USED FOR THE DISTRICT'S RESIDENTS.
/A CLOSE