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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982
CALL FOR MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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THE NEED FOR GREATER INVOLVEMENT BY HONG KONG CITIZENRY. AND INVOLVEMENT BY A WIDER SPECTRUM OF THAT CITIZENRY, MUST NOW BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND GIVEN MOMENTUM, DR THE HON RAYSON" HUANG TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+WE HAVE TODAY A MUCH BETTER EDUCATED SOCIETY THAN WE HAD EVEN TEN YEARS AGO, A SOCIETY WHICH DESERVES TO BE INVOLVED MORE CLOSELY IN ITS OWN GOVERNMENT AND REPRESENTATION OF ITS WISHES AND NEEDS AS A COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
IN A SPEECH AT THE POLICY DEBATE HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED TO EXPAND THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS AT VARIOUS LEVELS, DR HUANG NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S INCREASING RESPONSIVENESS TO PUBLIC NEED AND PUBLIC OPINION IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN MATCHED BY AN
INCREASING PUBLIC INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THIS INTEREST IS INVIGORATING AND VITAL TO OUR FUTURE WELL-BEING.
IT REFLECTS THE LEGITIMATE EXPECTATIONS OF AN INCREASINGLY WELL-EDUCATED COMMUNITY NOT ONLY TO VOICE ITS OPINIONS AND ITS NEEDS, HE SAID, BUT TO PARTICIPATE AND TO SHARE IN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT.
HE NOTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION LATELY ABOUT THE TYPE OF ADMINISTRATION BEST SUITED TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS IN THE FUTURE.
→THE SAFEST WAY OF ENSURING A WORKABLE AND EFFECTIVE FRAMEWORK IS TO TAKE STEPS NOW IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TYPE OF ADMINISTRATION WHICH WE KNOW WE WILL NEED AND TO NURTURE ITS HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT IT WILL TAKE ROOT AND BE RESPECTED, HE SAID.
THE RECENT CREATION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAS PROVIDED AN IMMENSE IMPETUS IN THIS DIRECTION, AND THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO RE-EXAMINE THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER.
+I HOPE THAT IN THIS EXERCISE WE SHALL EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS AND INDEED TRANSFORM IT, HE ADDED.
+WE SHOULD ENSURE REAL CONSULTATION AT THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF OUR SYSTEM AND IN EACH OF THE AREAS OF OUR ACTIVITIES SO AS TO ENGENDER THE FEELING OF A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT. +
TURNING TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR HUANG CONSIDERED THAT CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY+ REPRESENTED IN THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP DESPITE THE SLIGHT BROADENING OF THE SPECTRUM FROM WHICH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DRAWN OVER THE PAST YEARS.
AND IN CERTAIN MATTERS, HE SAID, THIS CAN HAVE THE EFFECT OF MISREPRESENTATION OF THE WISHES AND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS
A WHOLE.
/NOTING THE