FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1982
DB MEMBERS URGED TO SERVE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE+
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ISLANDS DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WERE TODAY (FRIDAY) URGED TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO WORK FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
IN SO DOING, THE BOARD BY ITSELF WILL BE A GOOD EXPONENT OF A SENSE OF LOCAL IDENTITY, THE DISTRICT OFFICER, MR RICKY FUNG, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING AT A DINNER MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF PENINSULA.
SPEAKING ON +COMMUNITY BUILDING IN THE ISLANDS DISTRICT HE POINTED OUT THAT A NARROW AND INSULAR OUTLOOK WAS BOUND TO PERPETUATE THE UNHEALTHY LACK OF IDENTITY, AND FULFILLING THE OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNITY BUILDING WAS MOST UNLIKELY.
HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT BOARD MEMBERS WOULD NOT CLING TO THE INTEREST OF THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE ISLANDS BUT SHOULD LOOK AT MATTERS WITH A WIDER PERSPECTIVE.
+NO DOUBT+, MR FUNG NOTED, THE ELECTED MEMBERS ARE ANSWERABLE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND MUST BE A GUARDIAN AND CAMPAIGNER FOR WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT,
+HOWEVER, AS MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD OF THE ISLANDS DISTRICT, THEY ARE OBLIGED TO ADVISE ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR CONCERTED WISDOM IS CALLED FOR TO MAKE ISLANDS DISTRICT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN AS A WHOLE.+
HE SAID COMMUNITY BUILDING COMPRISED TWO MAJOR INTER-RELATED ELEMENTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
+COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INVOLVES PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CITIZENS' ORGANISATIONS, PROVIDING PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND ANCILLARY SERVICES FOR COMMUNITY PURPOSES AND INSTILLING INTO CITIZENS CONCEPTS OF MUTUAL CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH EDUCATION, GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK, AND COUNSELLING.
+COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS CONCERNED WITH PROMOTING CITIZENS' INTEREST IN AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. IT INVOLVES ENCOURAGING CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES PERSUADING CITIZENS AND THE IR ORGANISATIONS TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT- SPONSORED CAMPAIGNS AND PROMOTING RECREATION AND SPORTS.
+THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING ALSO INVOLVES CONSULTING THE PUBLIC ON GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND MEASURES.
+THE SETTING UP OF DISTRICT BOARDS FORMALISES THE MACHINERY AND PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING.
HOWEVER, MR FUNG POINTED OUT THAT COMMUNITY BUILDING IN THE ISLANDS DISTRICT WAS NOT EASY, DUE TO THE SCATTERED NATURE OF THE POPULATION AND THE PHYSICAL ALIENATION OF THE VARIOUS ISLANDS ALTHOUGH MANY MIGHT UNDERESTIMATE THE PROBLEM IN THE DISTRICT ON THE BASIS OF ITS SMALL POPULATION AND ITS RURAL SETTING.
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