XN000022-1977-11-07 — Page 9

1

8

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1977

NT ADVISORY BOARDS TO REPRESENT LOCAL COMMUNITIES

*****

THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS PROPOSED FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL NOT MAKE RURAL COMMITTEES UNNECESSARY, BUT WILL ADD A FURTHER DIMENSION TO THE NETWORK OF CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE.

THIS WAS STATED TONIGHT BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, WHILE ADDRESSING A MEETING OF THE NEW TERRITORIES LIONS CLUE.

MR. AKERS-JONES EXPLAINED THAT THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS FROM THE RURAL COMMITTEES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE BOARD SYSTEM WAS NOT A +REVOLUTION+, BUT A NECESSARY EVOLUTION IN RECOGNITION OF THE CHANGES WHICH HAD BEEN TAKING PLACE IN THE SOCIETY.

THE BOARDS ARE IN NO WAY INTENDED TO INTERFERE WITH THE ROLE OF THE RURAL COMMITTEES, HE SAID.

THEY WILL HAVE AS MEMBERS PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZENS REPRESENTING

AND AS WIDE A CROSS-SECTION OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE, THE RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN WILL BE AT THE VERY HEART OF THE BOARDS, HE SAID.

+THEY WILL HAVE MONEY TO SPEND ON MAKING LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND IN SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

+THEY WILL HAVE A SAY ON THE PRIORITIES OF THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR REGION THROUGH THE ADVICE THEY WILL GIVE ON THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AS IT AFFECTS THEIR DISTRICT,+ MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

HE SAID THE PEOPLE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SHOULD BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE OVERALL EFFORTS WHICH WERE BEING MADE TO BUILD NEW TOWNS AND A NEW LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE.

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE LAST 20 YEARS HAD SEEN DRAMATIC CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHICH HAD BROUGHT BENEFIT TO MANY PEOPLE.

HE SAID THE POPULATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST ESTIMATES, WOULD BE AROUND 2.17 MILLION BY 1986 DOUBLE THE 1976 FIGURE.

+THE PLANS, WHICH HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP TO ACCOMMODATE THIS POPULATION, SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY COMMUNITY INGREDIENTS FOR A FULL AND SATISFYING LIFE - TOWN HALLS, SWIMMING POOLS, CLINICS, SCHOOLS, SPORTS AND PLAYING FIELDS,+ HE SAID.

19