FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1985
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'COUNCIL MARKS MILESTONE IN CONSTITUTIONAL EVOLUTION' ******
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL MARKS A MILESTONE IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL EVOLUTION OF HONG KONG WHICH WILL RESULT IN A MUCH GREATER LOCAL PARTICIPATION AND INFLUENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS, MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, THE NEWLY APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
MR CHEUNG, WHOSE APPOINTMENT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, MR GRAHAM BARNES, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE SAID THIS IS SO BECAUSE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL AND THE BUILT-IN CONSULTATIVE PROCESS THAT WILL HAVE A DOMINANT LOCAL REPRESENTATION.+
SET UP UNDER THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL ORDINANCE ON APRIL 1 THE COUNCIL WILL BE MADE UP OF 24 MEMBERS, NINE OF THEM ELECTED
THE CHAIRMAN BY THE NINE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS. AND THE TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK WILL BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WITH THE REMAINING 12 MEMBERS TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
MR CHEUNG, THE FIRST TO BE APPOINTED, SAID: +SUCH A COUNCIL COMPOSITION SHOULD DISMISS ANY REMAINING DOUBTS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO DEVOLVE MORE DISTRICT LEVEL DECISION MAKING POWERS TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR DISTRICT BOARD AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COUNCIL.
+THIS DOMINANT LOCAL REPRESENTATION IN THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL HAVE A DIRECT BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON THE LOCAL POPULACE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID.
MR CHEUNG SAID THAT ALL COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS SHOULD
BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL ORDINANCE, THE COUNCIL WILL ACT AS AN ADVISORY BODY TO THE GOVERNOR ON MATTERS CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, RECREATION AND CULTURE, AND FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS. THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL IS ALSO TASKED WITH THE ROLE OF ADVISING THE GOVERNOR ON THE PLANNING AND INAUGURAL AND OPERATIONAL MATTERS RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FULL-FLEDGED REGIONAL COUNCIL.
/+IN PRACTICAL