FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1985
+THIS LINKED SYSTEM WILL ENSURE EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE ♦ GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION AT ALL LEVELS, AND SHOULD PROVIDE
AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR THE DISCUSSION OF AFFAIRS BOTH GREAT AND SMALL AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.
REFERRING TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BOTH THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE REGION AND THE TRADITION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
HE NOTED THAT THE POPULATION OF THIS REGION WAS APPROACHING TWO MILLION AND STILL GROWING.
+ IT IS SPREAD BETWEEN NINE DISTRICTS AND INCLUDES RESIDENTS OF LARGE NEW TOWNS, OF THE TRADITIONAL MARKET TOWNS, OF HUNDREDS OF VILLAGES AND SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES. EACH OF THESE COMMUNITIES HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS, ITS OWN PROBLEMS, ITS OWN REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS, AND ITS OWN SYSTÉM OF CONSULTATION AND LIAISON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WAS MADE UP OF NINE REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED BY THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, AND 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT SECTORS AND INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THIS COMPOSITION WAS DESIGNED TO MATCH THESE DIFFERING CHARACTERISTICS, AND AT THE SAME TIME TO ACHIEVE A BROADLY-BASED REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE AREA SERVED BY THE COUNCIL, HE SAID.
REPRESENTATION WILL BE WIDENED STILL FURTHER NEXT YEAR AMEN 12 ADDITIONAL MEMBERS ARE DIRECTLY ELECTED TO THE FULL REGIONAL COUNCIL FROM 12 CONSTITUENCIES.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL, MR CHENG YAN-LUNG, SAID THE PRIORITY AIM+ OF THE COUNCIL WAS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE PEOPLE BY IMPROVING THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDING THEM WITH THE NECESSARY RECREATIONA..., CULTURAL AND SPORT FACILITIES.
HE SAID THAT WHILE THE VALUE OF THESE SERVICES JULD BE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY, THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS AS ESSENTIAL TO A MODERN SOCIETY AS EDUCATION OR MEDICAL SERVICES+.
*WITHOUT A DOUBT, A PEOPLE WHOSE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ARE SATISFIED WOULD BE BETTER PLACED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BETTERMENT OF HONG KONG,+ MR CHEUNG SAID.
+