XN000022-1979-12-06 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1979

FIRST NT REGIONAL COMMISSIONER EXPLAINS HIS ROLE

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THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FIRST REGIONAL COMMISSIONER IN THE NEW TERRITORIES INCLUDE ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR FUTURE AND THAT THEY OBTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS.

MR. JAMES SWEETMAN, OUTLINING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES AT A MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY) OF THE LIONS CLUBS OF HONG KONG HARBOUR AND HONG KONG (HOST), SAID THIS AIM COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED UNLESS ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE REGION WERE SEEN TO HAVE NOT ONLY A SENSIBLE POLICY FOR DEALING WITH THEIR PARTICULAR PROBLEMS, BUT ALSO WERE CAPABLE AND ENTHUSIASTIC ENOUGH TO SOLVE THEM.

+ IF I CAN BE ASSURED THAT PEOPLE REALISE THAT WE ARE RESPONDING QUICKLY TO MEET THE IR NEEDS, THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION CAN BE NURTURED AND MAINTAINED, HE SAID.

MR. SWEETMAN, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO HIS NEW POST IN APRIL, SAID HIS DUTIES ALSO INCLUDED CO-ORDINATING AND MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY ENSURING THAT THIS POLICY WAS EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE AND THEIR OPINIONS ON IT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES WERE CONSIDERED AND CONVEYED TO THE GOVERNMENT- AND PROVIDING A HIGH STANDARD OF COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE REGION.

OF THE NEED FOR CLOSER CO-ORDINATION AT A MORE LOCAL LEVEL TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, MR. SWEETMAN SAID HE HAD TO ENSURE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTED FOR CLEANING OUR STREAMS OF POLLUTION AND, THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT, AN IMPROVED ENVIRONMENT COULD HELP TEACH PEOPLE NEW HABITS OF PUBLIC HYGIENE.

HE ALSO HAD TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAD IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THEIR SOCIAL INTERESTS AND HAD MORE RECREATION.

MR. SWEETMAN SAID THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE HOUSING FIELD WAS WELL-KNOWN, AND EVEN IN THESE TIMES OF CAUTION IN PUBLIC SPENDING, THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME WAS BEING MAINTAINED. THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALSO HAD A LARGE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE TO THE BUILDING UP OF THE REGION, AND HE WAS HAPPY TO ENCOURAGE LARGE-SCALE COMPREHENSIVE PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN THE REGION'S DEVELOPMENT.

+HOWEVER, IT IS USELESS TO BUILD NEW HOMES WITHOUT THE ESSENTIAL INDÚSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT AND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND WITHOUT THE SCHOOLS, CLINICS AND HOSPITALS WHICH ANY PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY INSISTS UPON.

+THE NEEDS OF TRANSPORT ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVE ISOLATION OF THE REGION FROM THE MAIN INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRES OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

/+HOWEVER,