FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1987
+THESE CHANGES MEAN THAT DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE BETTER INFORMED ON DISTRICT MATTERS AND THAT THE CHANNELS FOR WIDER CONSULTATION ON DISTRICT AND TERRITORY-WIDE ISSUES WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED, + NR LIAO SAID.
CERTAIN PROPOSALS, MADE BY DB MEMBERS DURING THE REVIEW, THAT CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY FOR PRACTICAL REASONS WOULD BE REVIEWED AT REGULAR INTERVALS, HE ADDED.
+1 ANTICIPATE THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE VERY POSITIVE, WILL BE WELCOMED BY BOTH THE MAJORITY OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY, + MR LIAD SAID.
+WHILE MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED FAIRLY SOON, CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE REVIEW WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE GREEN PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
+THE ROLE AND COMPOSITION OF DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARDS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE GREEN PAPER.
+THE QUESTION OF WHETHER DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD HAVE AN EXTENDED AND MORE DIRECT MANAGEMENT ROLE WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED IN THE DOCUMENT, MR LIAO SAID.
HE SAID SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE FAIRLY SIMPLE TO IMPLEMENT AS THEY INVOLVED PROCEDURES, WHEREAS SOME PROPOSALS WOULD INVOLVE AMENDING THE DISTRICT BOARDS ORDINANCE.
THE REVIEW OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME, WHICH BEGAN LAST YEAR, COVERED THE FUNCTIONS, COMPOSITION AND OPERATION OF DISTRICT BOARDS INTERFACE BETWEEN BOARDS AND THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY- AND THE ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
VIEWS OF ALL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WERE SOUGHT IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY ON FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SCHEME, WHILE CONSULTATIONS WERE HELD WITH RELEVANT HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS LAST MONTH.
THE REVIEW RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSULTATIVE FUNCTION OF DISTRICT BOARDS ON LOCAL AND TERRITORY-WIDE ISSUES SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH REGULAR BRIEFINGS BY GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT POLICY BRANCHES AND DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR MAIN AREAS OF WORK AND ON THE BACKGROUND BEHIND MAJOR POLICIES AND ACTIONS.
WHILE SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND BOARD MEETINGS TO RECEIVE ADVICE, PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESPOND PROMPTLY TO DB'S REQUESTS, PROCEDURES SHOULD BE LAID DOWN TO REQUIRE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO RESPOND MORE POSITIVELY AND QUICKLY TO ADVICE AND REQUESTS OF THE BOARDS,
/DISTRICT BOARDS