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SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1987
YOUTHS URGED TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
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A MEMBER OF THE LELISLATIVE COUNCIL, MRS ROSANNA TAM, TODAY (SUNDAY) URGED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS DURING THE REVIEW OF THE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM LATER THIS YEAR.
SHE WAS SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE +HONG KONG BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME AWARD 1986-87+ HOSTED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AT THE HENRY G. LEONG YAUMATE COMMUNITY CENTRE, YAU MA TEI.
MRS TAM NOTED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE COULD PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
+THE LOWEST LEVEL IS TO BE A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN AND NEXT TO THAT IS TO SUPPORT STATUTORY GOVERNMENT ACTIONS.
+MOVING YET TO A HIGHER LEVEL IS TO PAY ATTENTION AND TO MONITOR THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RELATED AUTHORITIES AND TO GIVE OPINIONS WHEN NECESSARY.
+THE HIGHEST LEVEL IS TO INITIATE DEVELOPMENTS TO IMPROVE THE SOCIETY, SHE SAID.
+WHAT WE ARE ADVOCATING TODAY IS ACTIVE, AND NOT PASSIVE, PARTICIPATION, SHE ADDED.
MRS TAM CALLED ON YOUNG PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORTHCOMING REVIEW OF THE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM AND TO EXPRESS THE IR VIEWS FREELY.
HOWEVER, SHE STRESSED THAT BEFORE DOING SO, YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD FIRST ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EXITING POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES OF OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES AND THE BASIC PRINCIPLES IN ASSESSING POLITICAL SYSTEMS.
IN HER WELCOMING REMARKS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID THAT PROJECTS AIMED AT SERVING THE HOMELESS WOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY WHEN APPLYING FOR SUBSIDIES UNDER THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME.
SHE NOTED THAT 1987 HAD BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS.+
+WE HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TO ECHO THIS INTERNATIONAL THEME AND MAKE THIS OUR TARGET FOR THE 1987-88 OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SCHEME, SHE SAID.
SHE ADDED THAT IN THE BROADER SENSE, THE +HOMELESS+ INCLUDED STREET SLEEPERS, SOLO-PARENT FAMILIES AND THOSE WHO LACK PROPER HOUSING AND REQUIRE ADEQUATE CARE.
/ON YOUTH