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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1984
+IT FOLLOWS THAT THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION,+ MR TONG SAID.
THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAD PROVED TO BE AN EXCELLENT TRAINING GROUND FOR FUTURE LEADERS.
HE SINCERELY HOPED THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE AND TAKE PART IN RUNNING FOR THE NEXT DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN MARCH, 1985.
HE POINTED OUT THAT STATISTICS ON THE 1982 ELECTIONS HAD SHOWN OVER 50 PER CENT OF ELECTED MEMBERS WERE IN BUSINESS AND MOST WERE EITHER SELF-EMPLOYED OR IN PARTNERSHIP.
TO PROVIDE A BALANCE, MR TONG BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE MORE POSITIVE INCENTIVES TO EMPLOYERS WHO ALLOWED EMPLOYEES TO SERVE ON DISTRICT BOARDS.
+FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNMENT MAY CONSIDER GIVING SOME FORM OF SPECIAL TAX ALLOWANCE TO THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO SUPPORT AN EMPLOYES SERVING ON A DISTRICT BOARD, HE SAID.
+SIMILARLY, SUCH ALLOWANCE MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYEES SERVING ON THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.
MR TONG SAID WE SHOULD ALSO ENSURE THAT OUR CITIZENS WERE PROPERLY EDUCATED ABOUT THE FUNCTIONING OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
+WITH THIS IN MIND, I AM DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE HEARINGS WILL SOON BE IN PUBLIC.
+THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOWARDS A MORE DEMOCRATIS GOVERNMENT.
+I HOPE TO SEE OTHER KEY COMMITTEES, SUCH AS THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OPEN THEIR PROCEEDINGS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE,+ HE SAID.
MR TONG SAID THE WORLD WAS CLOSELY MONITORING HONG KONG'S PERFORMANCE SO WE MUST NOT DO ANYTHING TO DAMPEN THE ENTHUSIASM OF POTENTIAL INVESTORS.
+MOREOVER, WE MUST NOT DO ANYTHING THAT MAY WORRY EXISTING INVESTORS AND GIVE THEM SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT KEEPING THEIR INVESTMENTS IN HONG KONG.
+I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE 'DO NOTS' IS TAMPERING WITH OUR TAX SYSTEM UNNECESSARILY.
/+FOR EXAMPLE,