TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1982
1
DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE CONSULTED ON MAJOR ISSUES, GOVERNOR SAYS
****
THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO CONSULT DISTRICT BOARDS ON MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF RESIDENTS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY.
SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING DURING A VISIT THIS AFTERNOON TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD THE FIRST BOARD MEETING SINCE THE URBAN DISTRICT ELECTIONS LAST MONTH.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAD IN THE PAST BEEN CONSULTED ON SUCH TERRITORY-WIDE ISSUES AS THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES ALLOCATION SYSTEM, THE LAW ON HOLIDAYS FOR WORKERS, HELICOPTER LANDING SITES, THE FILM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND LEGISLATION ON WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
SAID.
+THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO CONSULTED IN FUTURE, SIR EDWARD
GIVING AN EXAMPLE OF THIS CONSULTATION PROCESS, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING AUTHORITY PROPOSED SETTING UP A NUMBER OF DISTRICT-BASED TELEVISION HOME-VIEWING GROUPS AND ADVISORY PANELS TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT IN GAUGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS TELEVISION PROGRAMMES AND ADVERTISING STANDARDS.
J
HE WAS GLAD TO SEE IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT THAT, IN LINE WITH HIS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH, THE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN DUE WEIGHT TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT WHEN DECISIONS WERE TAKEN.
+THE BOARD'S ADVICE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED, AND HAS BEEN OR IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AS REGARDS PASSENGER SHELTERS, THE DROPPING OF THE RETURN TOLL CHARGE FOR TAXIS USING THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL, THE PROVISION OF SHELTERS AT BUS STOPS AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE TYPHOON SHELTER.
+SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE GOOD REASONS WHY THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT MEET THE BOARD'S VIEWS. IN SUCH CASES THE REASONS MUST BE EXPLAINED TO THE BOARDS.
+ I UNDERSTAND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE REASONS WHY THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT RESPOND QUICKLY TO YOUR REQUEST TO PROVIDE MORE SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES IN THE DISTRICT ITSELF (THOUGH THERE IS NO LACK OF SPACES IN THE ADJO IN ING CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICTS),+ THE GOVERNOR SAID.
APART FROM ADVISING GOVERNMENT ON LOCAL PROBLEMS, DISTRICT BOARDS WERE ALSO EXPECTED TO REFLECT PUBLIC OPINION ON MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF RESIDENTS, SIR EDWARD SAID,
THE GOVERNOR