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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987
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THE
THAT MR
IN REGARD ΤΟ THE URBAN COUNCIL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PROPOSED DISTRICT BOARDS, WHILE A NUMBER OF DISTRICT BOARDS HAD THEY ELECTED THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO THE URBAN COUNCIL, CHEONG-LEEN DID NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THIS TO TAKE
PLACE IN 1988, SINCE ELECTED URBAN COUNCILLORS WERE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THEY WERE A CONSTRUCTIVE AND
EFFECTIVE CHANNEL BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
"I THEREFORE URGE GOVERNMENT NOT TO PREMATURELY RUSH INTO GRAFTING THE REGIONAL COUNCIL STRUCTURE ON TO THE URBAN COUNCIL, SINCE CONDITIONS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN THE URBAN AREA, HE SAID.
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MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE REGIONAL COUNCIL HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED ONLY RECENTLY AND IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME TIME FOR THE STRUCTURE THERE TO BE ASSESSED BEFORE DETERMINING WHETHER WHAT WAS SUITABLE FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS EQUALLY SUITABLE FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL, WHICH HAD A VERY GOOD RECORD IN MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION AND THE PROVISION OF MUNICIPAL FACILITIES IN THE URBAN AREA.
"I WOULD THEREFORE URGE THAT THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL IN RELATION TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS REMAIN AS IT IS AT PRESENT WITHOUT ANY CHANGE FOR THE PURPOSES
OF THE 1987 GREEN PAPER REVIEW," HE SAID.
HOWEVER, SHOULD AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTION ΤΟ THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BE DECIDED UPON FOR 1988, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL/MUNICIPAL COUNCILS/DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY REVIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, HE ADDED,
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAD THE RIGHT AND THEY MUST TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF SHAPING THEIR OWN FUTURE WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND IN PARALLEL WITH CHINA'S POLICY TO THE WORLD FOR THE UPLIFTING OF 1,000 MILLION PEOPLE, HE SAID.
MODERNISATION AND OPEN LIVING STANDARDS OF ITS
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