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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982
DISTRICT BOARDS' POWER
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THE POWER OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS LIES IN THE STRENGTH AND ACCURACY OF THEIR ADVICE TO THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND IN THE IR ABILITY TO CONVEY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION THE DECISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN IN THE LIGHT OF THAT ADVICE.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
TODAY.
RESPONDING TO COMMENTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, HE SAID IT IS NOT AN OVERSIGHT THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS THEMSELVES HAVE NO EXECUTIVE POWER.
+THIS IS NOT THE WAY HONG KONG WORKS. HONG KONG IS TOO SMALL TO BE DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF WARRING KINGDOM CONTINUALLY AT LOGGERHEADS WITH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, EACH PURSUING LOCALLY DECIDED POLICIES, EACH WITH ITS OWN REVENUE AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMMES.+
CONCERNING PLATFORMS OF OPINION+ MENTIONED BY DR RAYSON HUANG, MR AKERS-JONES SAID THERE WERE 385 OF THESE PLATFORMS ADVISORY COMMITTEES COVERING EVERY CONCEIVABLE ACTIVITY, AND THEY, IN ADDITION TO THE DISTRICT BOARD, AMOUNTED TO A FAIRLY FORMIDABLE EDIFICE.
+THERE WILL NO DOUBT BE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, BUT WE ESTABLISH, BY THESE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION, A CONSENSUS.
+AND THAT IS WHAT GIVES US OUR STRENGTH, BECAUSE, BY ITS NATURE, A CONSENSUS COMMANDS BROAD SUPPORT AND IS REMOVED FROM THE POLITICAL ARENA.
+AND A CONSENSUS ARRIVED AT BY CONSULTATION CERTAINLY PROVIDES A SOUND BASIS FOR SOUND DECISIONS,+ HE SAID.
REFERRING TO CRITICISM THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE NOT WHOLLY ELECTED, MR AKERS-JONES STRESSED THAT APPOINTED MEMBERS WERE THERE BECAUSE OF THEIR SPECIAL SKILLS OR KNOWLEDGE OR BECAUSE OF THE CONTRIBUTION THEY WERE ALREADY MAKING TO THE LIFE OF THE DISTRICT.
+THE IR EXPERTISE WILL BE EXTREMELY VALUABLE AT THIS TIME.+
AS FOR ELECTED MEMBERS, HE NOTED THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE NOT EASILY DECEIVED, AND THAT WAS WHY A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER.
IN REPLY TO MISS TAM WHO HAD ASKED WHETHER DISTRICT BOARDS COULD CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS INTEGRATING RECENT IMMIGRANTS INTO THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY, MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE WONG TAI SIN BOARD HAD ALREADY INVESTIGATED THIS AND EXECUTIVE ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN TO FURTHER THIS OBJECTIVE.
/ON A
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