FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1989
FREE
"DB'S, UNTRAMMELLED BY LIMITS OF EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, ARE TO DISCUSS WHATEVER THEY FEEL IS AFFECTING THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICTS," HE NOTED.
TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARDS, MR LAN SAID TUAT DURING THE PAST YEAR THE 19 BOARDS ALTOGETHER CONSIDERED 812 DISCUSSION PAPERS ON SUCH DISTRICT ISSUES AS TRANSPORT, SOCIAL SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT, INITIATED OR SPONSORED 3,669 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS, AND CARRIED OUT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT A TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF OVER $10 MILLION.
NUMEROUS
IN FULFILLING THEIR CONSULTATIVE ROLE, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS MET INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS IN
DISTRICTS "MEET-THE-PUBLIC" SCHEME.
THEIR
+
UNDER
THE
PROBLEMS AND
THE MEMBERS LISTENED TO THE RESIDENTS ASPIRATIONS, AND REFLECTED THEM TO RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY ACTION WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
"THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT DB'S HAVE MADE THEIR PRESENCE FELT, AND THEIR ACTIVITIES HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, HE NOTED.
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MR LAN SAID THAT OVER THE YEARS, DISTRICT BOARDS HAD ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS AN INFLUENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, AND THEIR ADVICE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE GOVERNMENT IN FORMULATING VARIOUS POLICIES.
OF AS
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HE
"I FIND OUR DB'S OCCUPY A VERY UNIQUE POSITION CAPABLE INFLUENCING GOVERNMENT POLICY EVEN AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL SO LONG THE POLICY GENERALLY AFFECTS RESIDENTS AT THE DISTRICT
LEVEL, SAID.
A
"FURTHERMORE, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE THERE IS SO READILY AVAILABLE AND PROPERLY ORGANISED
BODY AS THE DISTRICT BOARD THAT IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING EFFECTIVE CONSULTATION OF POLICY AND OTHER MAJOR ISSUES.
г
THE
MR LAN POINTED OUT THAT FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER ON "THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT : THE WAY FORWARD" LAST FEBRUARY, A SERIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES (IN FORM OF A CENTRAL DIRECTIVE ISSUED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY) HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE THE OPERATIONS OF DISTRICT BOARDS WITH A VIEW TO ENHANCING THE RESPONSIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE BOARDS AND DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT HAD A1.80 INCREASING THE RESOURCES PROVIDED TO DISTRICT BOARDS ACTIVITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
DEEN
FOR
GRADUALLY COMMUNITY
US
BETTER MET
WELL. OUR THAT THE IN
"I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM 11AS SERVED TASK AHEAD WILL BE TO BUILD UPON THIS EXISTING SYSTEM 80 GROWING EXPECTATIONS OF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC COULD BE THE FUTURE. HE CONCLUDED.
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