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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1982
RIGHT PEOPLE NEEDED TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT
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THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AS A KEY TO THE SUCCESS IN DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WAS STRESSED TODAY BY THE DEPUTY REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR ALBERT LAM.
IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE SPEECH DAY OF THE KWUN TONG VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE, HE SAID THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG HAD OFTEN BEEN DESCRIBED AS +GOVERNMENT BY CONSULTATION+ SINCE THERE WERE OVER 300 STATUTORY AND NON-STATUTORY BOARDS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES, INVOLVING ABOUT 2 800 UNOFFICIALS IN THE CONSULTATIVE NETWORK.
IN DISTRICTS LIKE KWUN TONG, MR LAM SAID, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FLOUR ISH.
LAST MONTH'S URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS HAD PRODUCED 76 NEW ELECTED MEMBERS WHO WOULD SERVE THE 10 URBAN DISTRICTS IN THE COMING TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
+THE SAME NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL BE APPOINTED. THESE TOGETHER WITH THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS AND URBAN COUNCIL DELEGATES WILL MAKE UP THE COMPOSITION OF THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS, + MR LAM SAID.
IN HIS VIEW, A GOOD DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER REQUIRES SEVERAL QUAL IF ICATIONS.
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FIRSTLY, HE HAS TO BE ACTIVE IN ATTENDING BOARD MEETINGS READING UP BACKGROUND PAPERS AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE DEL IBERATIONS OF ISSUES.
SECONDLY, HE HAS TO KEEP IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE LIVING OR WORKING IN THE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY DON'T WANT.
THIRDLY, HE SHOULD HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES, INCLUDING THE RATIONALE BEHIND CURRENT POLICIES ON MATTERS LIKE HOUSING, TRANSPORT, EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT AND TOWN PLANNING. THIS INVOLVES A LOT OF SERIOUS STUDYING AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER MEMBERS AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES.
LASTLY, HE SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER MEMBERS
AS A TEAM IN THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES HE SERVES.
+ON MY PART, I SHALL MAKE SURE THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTED BY EFFICIENT DISTRICT SECRETARIATS. I ALSO INTEND TO ORGANISE MORE BRIEFINGS AND SEMINARS IN ORDER TO EQUIP MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY THE NEW ONES, FOR THE IR IMPORTANT TASK, + MR LAM ADDED.
MRS GRAHAM BARNES, WIFE OF THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, PRESENTED CERTIFICATES TO STUDENTS WHO HAD COMPLETED THE IR COURSES IN THE COMMERCIAL, TECHNICAL, TAILORING, HOTEL AND CATERING SERVICES, AND PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENTS OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE.
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