XN000022-1979-12-04 — Page 6

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1979

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REMARKABLE CHANGES IN TAI PO

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THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN REMARKABLE CHANGES IN TAI PO AND CHANGE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL BE EVEN MORE DRAMATIC, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE 16TH SPEECH DAY OF THE WONG SHIU CHI MIDDLE SCHOOL, TAI PO, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE DEVELOPMENT NOW TAKING PLACE IN TAI PO WOULD IN ABOUT 10 YEARS PROVIDE A NEW LIVING ENVIRONMENT, NEW JOBS AND NEW SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR A SELF-CONTAINED AND BALANCED TOWNSHIP WITH A TOTAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 200 000,

+BUT WHAT PART WILL YOU, AS INDIVIDUALS, PLAY IN THIS NEW COMMUNITY?+ MR. AKERS-JONES ASKED.

+HOW WILL THESE 200 000 SEPARATE INDIVIDUALS BE LINKED TOGETHER? WILL THEY BE SELFISH, THINKING ONLY OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OR WILL THEY BE JOINED TOGETHER BY A COMMON PURPOSE, BY A SENSE OF PRIDE, MUTUAL CARE AND BELONGING.

+WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT SORT OF TAI PO WE WANT, DO WE WANT IT TO BE DIRTY AND UGLY AND A RESORT FOR CRIMINALS, DRUG ADDICTS? CLEARLY WE DO NOT. THESE SOUND SIMPLE PROBLEMS TO SOLVE, BUT IT IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF SAYING I AM CLEAN, I AM NOT A DRUG ADDICT. I AM NOT A CRIMINAL. UNLESS WE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY WITH COMMON CONCERN AND PURPOSE TO RID OUR SOCIETY OF THESE EVILS THEY WILL INFECT AND POLLUTE THE NEW TOWN WE ARE BUILDING.+

OUR DEFENCE AGAINST THESE ENEMIES OF SOCIETY WAS TO BUILD A STRUCTURE OF OVERLAPPING REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

AT NEIGHBOURHOOD, DISTRICT AND TERRITORIAL LEVELS, WE HAD CITIZENS' ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS RURAL COMMITTEES, KAIFONGS, CLANSMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS, AND IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS WE HAD FORMED MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES. THE FORMATION OF THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD ALSO ENCOURAGED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MATTERS AFFECTING THE INTERESTS OF TAI PO AS A WHOLE AND RECENTLY THE DIVISION OF TAI PO DISTRICT INTO TWO WOULD BRING GOVERNMENT CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE.

+ALL THESE INITIATIVES, ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANISATIONS KNIT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND HELP TO OVERCOME THE ISOLATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILY- THEY FORM A DEFENCE AGAINST THE EVILS THAT BESET ANY SOCIETY, AND THEY PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP OUR CULTURE AND RECREATION AND TO ENRICH COMMUNITY LIFE,+ MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

+THUS, THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO JOIN IN ACTIVITIES BEYOND THE SMALL WORLD OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE INCREASING AND MORE CAN BE CREATED.+

/YOUNG PEOPLE