XN000022-1978-09-06 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1978

GOVERNOR CONTINUES HIS VISITS TO DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS

******

THE ISLANDS DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD HAS LAUNCHED A VIGOROUS PROGRAMME IN PROMOTING CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES SINCE ITS FORMATION IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.

THE BOARD IS CONFIDENT THAT ITS PROGRAMME IS IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED $300 MILLION DEVELOPMENT +PACKAGE+ FOR THE DISTRICT.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE POINTS RAISED TODAY AT THE BOARD MEETING WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, IN HIS CURRENT ROUND OF VISITS TO NEWLY-ESTABLISHED DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES,

MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SIR MURRAY ALSO ATTENDED THE MEETING OF THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD TO LISTEN TO THEIR PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR AND TO OFFER HIS HELP AND ADVICE.

AT THE ISLANDS DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING SIR MURRAY WAS TOLD THAT THE BOARD WAS SPENDING MORE THAN HALF OF THE $300,000 ALLOCATED FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR TO PROMOTE CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES.

THE BOARD HAS SPONSORED THE FORMATION OF THE DISTRICT CHILDREN'S CHOIR. YOUNG MEMBERS RECENTLY GAVE TWO SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCES IN THE DISTRICT.

THE BOARD WILL SPONSOR THE ISLANDS DISTRICT CHINESE INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE. A DRAMA COMPETITION, A CALLIGRAPHY AND CHORAL SPEAKING COMPETITION AND A CALLIGRAPHY, PRINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION DURING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

A CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS SUB-COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FORMED TO PROMOTE THESE ACTIVITIES AND TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL PARTICIPATION.

SIR MURRAY WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE BOARD HAD SET UP A MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AND RECOMMEND MINOR WORKS PROJECTS AND TO SUPERVISE IMPLEMENTATION. ALL RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, EACH REPRESENTING HIS OWN DISTRICT, ARE SERVING ON THE SUB-COMMITTEE.

THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO SET UP ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT GROUPS IN DIFFERENT SUB-DISTRICTS, SUCH AS CHEUNG CHAU, PENG CHAU, MUI WO AND LAMMA TO TAKE A HARD AND CRITICAL LOOK AT ITS ENVIRONMENT AND TO TAKE POSITIVE ACTION TO CLEAN IT UP.

A PILOT EXERCISE TO CLEAN-UP BLACK SPOTS AT CHEUNG CHAU HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED.

THE BOARD