FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1984
5
VITAL ROLE OF RURAL COMMITTEES STRESSED
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RURAL COMMITTEES HAVE CHANGED THEIR ROLE. BUT THEY REMAINED VERY IMPORTANT IN THE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE A MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT FOR HONG KONG, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.
HE SAID THE COMMITTEES' SUPPORT AND ADVICE WERE STILL GREATLY VALUED AND GOVERNMENT HAD ENSURED THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE DISTRICT BOARDS ALONGSIDE THE IR ELECTED AND APPOINTED COLLEAGUES.
+WHEN WE HAVE THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, THE NEW TERRITORIES HEUNG YEE KUK WILL PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE COUNCIL'S BUSINESS, HE SAID.
+ALL THESE CHANGES WILL PRESENT NEW CHALLENGES TO THE RURAL COMMITTEES, AND I HAVE BEEN GREATLY PLEASED AND ENCOURAGED TO SEE HOW WELL RURAL COMMITTEES HAD SUCCEEDED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS NEW SYSTEM AND I AM SURE THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES HEUNG YEE KUK WILL BE EQUALLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL.+
MR MACPHERSON WAS SPEAKING AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAI PO RURAL COMMITTEE.
HE SAID THAT THOUGH THE 25-YEAR OLD TAI PO RURAL COMMITTEE WAS RELATIVELY YOUNG, HE WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED AT WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED IN A SHORT PERIOD.
+1 AM PLEASED TO SEE THAT THIS YOUNG RURAL COMMITTEE IS ALSO A PROGRESSIVE RURAL COMMITTEE, FOR IT HAS NOT ONLY SUCCEEDED IN REPRESENTING THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION AND THE RURAL AREAS IN THE DISTRICT, BUT HAS ALSO SERVED THE NEW POPULATION WHO HAVE COME TO SETTLE IN TAI PO IN ITS NEWLY DEVELOPED AREAS.+
UMELCO STILL TALKING
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THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS ISSUED AFTER THE UMELCO MEETING THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING:
REGARDING THE PROPOSED UMELCO TRIP TO PEKING. WE ARE STIL DISCUSSING WITH RELEVANT PARTIES THE POSSIBILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF MAKING THE VISIT, WHEN A FINAL DECISION IS MADE, WE WILL MAKE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO EARLIER STATEMENTS.