THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1984
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PEOPLE TOLD TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO BE APOLITICAL, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
WITH CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT IT WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR AND URGED TO TAKE PART IN THE APPROACHING 1985 DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND THE FORTHCOMING EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN THE YEARS TO COME, HE SAID.
THE FACT THAT 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE HAD REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE MARCH ELECTIONS AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN SO MUCH DISCUSSION IN THE MEDIA OF THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS INDICATED THE KEEN INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
+ I AM ENCOURAGED BY THESE INDICATIONS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, ALTHOUGH I ADMIT THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY, MR CHEUNG SAID,
+1 WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS IN ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND TO APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CURRENT AFFAIRS, TO BE MORE FORTHCOMING IN VOICING THEIR OPINIONS AND TO FULFIL THEIR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF CITIZENSHIP SUCH AS TO ELECT SUITABLE REPRESENTATIVES TO RUN HONG KONG.+
THE QUESTION NOW WAS HOW TO ENCOURAGE GOOD CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, AND IN WHAT WAY COULD THE GOVERNMENT PROMOTE CIVIC AWARENESS AMONG THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY SO AMONG THE SECOND GENERATION.
+ IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THE VERY IMPORTANCE OF THE NEED THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE. MAKE SENS BLE JUDGEMENTS ON ISSUES OF CURRENT INTEREST AND
IMPORTANC, AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS WELL-BEING AND DEVELOPMENT, + HE SAID.
MR CHEUNG WAS CRITICAL OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF NEW TOWN DEVELOPME T, SAYING WE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE SITUATIONS WHEREBY T. E NECESSARY COMMUNITY FACILITIES WERE PLANNED AND CONSTRUCTED ONLY AFTER THE FIRST BATCH OF +SETTLERS+ HAD MOVED
MANY WERE DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT SOME OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL FACILITIES WERE LACKING, AMONG WHICH THE MOST SERIOUS WERE DEFICIENCIES IN PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES IN NEW TOWNS LIKE TUEN MUN AND SHA TIN,
IN TUEN MUN 2 000 PUPILS HAD TO ATTEND CLASSES IN CONVERTED CLASSROOMS, A +FAR FROM SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENT, WHICH HE HOPED THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD REMEDY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
/ON CRIME