THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1987
MINISTER SHOWN THREE-TIER POLITICAL SYSTEM
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COMMONWEALTH OFFICE,
OF THE TERRITORY FOR OF HIS BUSY FOUR-DAY
THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND LORD GLENARTHUR, HERE FOR A FIRST-HAND LOOK WHICH HE IS RESPONSIBLE, BEGAN THE SECOND DAY PROGRAMME WITH AN HOUR-LONG HELICOPTER TOUR OF HONG KONG TODAY (THURSDAY).
LORD GLENARTHUR, WHO IS A QUALIFIED HELICOPTER PILOT, FLEW THE HELICOPTER HIMSELF FOR PART OF THE JOURNEY.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, LORD GLENARTHUR WAS BRIEFED ON THE VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES TAKING PLACE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HARBOUR AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
RETURNING TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HE HAD A MEETING WITH A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT SECRETARIES BEFORE ATTENDING A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE MEETING, LORD GLENARTHUR SAID
IT WAS A "THOROUGHLY WORTHWHILE AND INTERESTING MEETING".
"IT WAS VERY GOOD VALUE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO THEM TODAY AND TO HEAR THEIR VIEWS ON SO MANY ISSUES ABOUT HONG KONG, HE SAID.
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IN THE AFTERNOON, THE MINISTER, ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR T.H. CHAU, ATTENDED THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD MEETING AND LISTENED ΤΟ DISCUSSIONS ON LOCAL ISSUES.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR SHUM CHOI-SANG, INTRODUCED LORD GLENARTHUR TO BOARD MEMBERS AND SPOKE ABOUT ITS COMPOSITION, ROLE AND FUNCTIONS.
IN RETURN, LORD GLENARTHUR THANKED MR SHUM FOR PROVIDING HIM A VERY USEFUL BRIEF OF WHAT THE DISTRICT BOARD DID AND OF THE WAY ITS COMMITTEES POOLED TOGETHER THE VARIOUS INITIATIVES IN IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE DISTRICT.
HE SAID WHEN HE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT HONG KONG FROM THE AIR THIS MORNING HE SAW SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WERE BEING CARRIED OUT.
"IT COMES VERY CLEARLY TO A VISITOR, NOT ONLY THAT THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, BUT JUST HOW EFFECTIVELY THINGS ARE BEING DONE. 1 THINK IT'S THE MOST STRIKING THING THAT I FOUND, HE NOTED.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD'S THREE FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEES BRIEFED THE VISITOR ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE WORKS.
/BEFORE LEAVING
THEN