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TI
... 16, 1985
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+ IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE OF STRIKING A PROPER BALANCE THE APPOINTEES' AGE, OCCUPATION, SEX, CONSTITUENCY, PAST EXPERIENCES AND PERFORMANCE IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CERTAIN DISTRICTS HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE.
+SUCH AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM ENSURES THE STABILITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS SO THAT THEY CAN INHERIT THE PAST AND USHER IN THE FUTURE AND MAKE A BIG STRIDE FORWARD IN A STABLE MANNER, HE SAID.
MR LAM SAID THAT THE PAST THREE YEARS SAW MOST OF THE DB MEMBERS DARING TO SPEAK OUT AND TO PUT FORTH NEW IDEAS.
ONE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE NEW DBS IS TO FORM AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO ELECT 10 MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THIS LINK BETWEEN THE BOARDS AND THE COUNCIL WILL, ON ONE HAND, ENHANCE THE REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE GRASSROOTS IN LEGCO AND, ON THE OTHER, SET UP A POLITICAL SYSTEM IN WHICH THE AUTHORITY IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN HONG KONG, FULLY AUTHORITATIVE AND DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE.
MR LAM ALSO SPOKE ON THE BACKGROUND OF DB ELECTIONS, VOTER TURNOUT RATE, AN ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTED DB MEMBERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW BOARDS.
+GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE HAVE BEEN MARKED IMPROVEMENTS OF THE NEW DB MEMBERS, ELECTED AND APPOINTED ALIKE, IN BOTH QUALITY AND QUANTITY, + HE SAID.
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+AT THE SAME TIME THE BOARDS ARE PLAYING AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.+
MR LAM NOTED THAT LAST MONTH'S DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS HAD ATTRACTED 501 PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO STAND AS CANDIDATES, AND THE VOTER TURNOUT OF MORE THAN 476 000 WAS SATISFACTORY.
SIX EXPATRIATES STOOD FOR THE ELECTIONS, AND THE IR PARTICIPATION REFLECTED THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING TO HONG KONG AND THEIR DESIRE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DISTRICT BOARDS, MR LAM SAID.
IT CAN THUS BE SEEN THAT ON THE PREMISE OF IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY, THE DISTRICT BOARD SYSTEM HAS BROKEN THE DEMARCATION LINE OF CLASSES AND RACES, AND HAS ATTRACTED THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO TAKE PART IN POLITICS, HE ADDED.
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