SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1982
APPOINTMENTS TO URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS
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ANOTHER IMPORTANT STAGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF 76 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO 10 DISTRICT BOARDS IN HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.
THE NEWLY-APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL TAKE THEIR PLACES WITH MEMBERS ELECTED LAST MONTH, ALONG WITH URBAN COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES AND THE KEY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO ALSO SIT ON THE BOARDS.
THE APPOINTMENTS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM OCTOBER 1, 1982, TO MARCH 31, 1985.
LIKE THEIR ELECTED COUNTERPARTS, THE 76 APPOINTEES ANNOUNCED TODAY REPRESENT A WIDE CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE IR AVERAGE AGE IS THE SAME AS THAT OF THEIR ELECTED COUNTERPARTS 44.
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THEY ARE ALSO SIMILAR IN BACKGROUND TO THE ELECTED MEMBERS WITH JUST OVER 26 PER CENT COMING FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, 15 PER CENT FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR AND 14 PER CENT FROM INDUSTRY.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE 10 SOCIAL WORKERS, FOUR DOCTORS, THREE SOLICITORS, TWO ENGINEERS AND AN ESTATE SURVEYOR AS WELL AS THREE FACTORY WORKERS, THREE HOUSEWIVES, TWO OFFICE WORKERS, TWO STUDENT COUNSELLORS, A CARPENTER, A HAWKER AND A RETIRED MAN.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID TODAY THE APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE WITH THE AIM OF PRODUCING BALANCED AND EFFECTIVE BOARDS WHICH WOULD COMMAND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVED.
OF THE NEW APPOINTEES, 49 WERE EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS WHILE THE NEW FACES HAD BEEN DRAWN FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS AND OCCUPATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY AND CIVIC AFFAIRS.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED: THE DISTRICT BOARDS ARE NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ACTING ON THE IR ADVICE WHEREVER POSSIBLE.+
AT THE SAME TIME, THE SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED THAT THE FINAL VACANCY ON THE NEW TERRITORIES BOARDS HAD BEEN FILLED WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF MR JONATHAN GRAY TO THE ISLANDS DISTRICT BOARD.
HIS APPOINTMENT WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM NOVEMBER 1, 1982 UNTIL MARCH 31, 1985.
MR GRAY HAS BEEN IN HONG KONG FOR 30 YEARS AND HAS LIVED ON LAMMA ISLAND SINCE 1975.