WEDESDAY, MAY 8, 1985
5
GOVERNOR, LADY YOUDE RETURN TOMORROW
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND LADY YOUDE, WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG TOMORROW (THURSDAY) AFTER VISITING CHINA,
THEY WILL BE ARRIVING ON FLIGHT CX301, ETA 9.45 PM.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
A FACILITY HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAMEN
THOSE TO COVER THE ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR AND LADY YOUDE. COVERING THE EVENT SHOULD ASSEMBLE IN THE AIRPORT PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM BY 8.55 PM TOMORROW.
GIS OFFICERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST.
*FULL POWERS TO MANAGE OWN REGIONAL AFFAIRS'
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THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL GIVE RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO MANAGE THEIR AFFAIRS IN THEIR REGION WITH FULL POWER+, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL SAID AT ITS INAUGURAL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID THE 24-MEMBER COUNCIL HAS THE AUTONOMY TO PURSUE VARIOUS PROGRAMMES AND ITS ACTIVITIES WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT MORE THAN 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF HONG KONG.
+THE COUNCIL'S SERVICE AREA WILL COVER ABOUT 88 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL LAND AREA OF HONG KONG. ONE CAN THUS APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULT AND MASSIVE BURDEN LEVIED ON THE COUNCIL,+ HE ADDED.
COMPARING THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WHICH CAME INTO BEING ONLY ON APRIL 1, WITH THE CENTURY-OLD URBAN COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG SAID THE NEW TERRITORIES IS GEOGRAPHICALLY MUCH WIDER AND THE POPULATION IS MORE DISPERSED; SOCIAL FACILITIES CANNOT CATCH UP WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH AND SOME ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES NEED TO BE PROVIDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.+
MR CHEUNG CAUTIONED THAT IN THE PROCESS OF URBANISATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, TRADITIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE NEEDS TO BE HARMONISED WITH MODERN CIVILISATION.
+ALL THESE REQUIRE THE SPECIAL ATTENTION OF THIS COUNCIL,+ HE SAID.
/HE CALLED