XN000022-1980-04-23 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1980

MORE MONEY FOR DABS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED $6 112 000 TO THE EIGHT DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, 36 PER CENT UP ON LAST YEAR'S FIGURE.

TSUEN WAN DISTRICT HAS RECEIVED $2 MILLION, THE LARGEST ALLOCATION, FOLLOWED BY YUEN LONG ($1 036 000) AND TUEN MUN ($686 000).

SHA TIN DISTRICT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED $536 000, WHILE ISLANDS, SAI KUNG AND TAI PO DISTRICTS HAVE EACH RECEIVED $486 000. NORTH DISTRICT HAS BEEN GIVEN $396 000.

THE BUDGET FOR 1979/80 WAS $4.5 MILLION AND FOR 1978/79 $3.7 MILLION.

THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI KAM, SAID INCREASED FUNDS WOULD ENABLE BOARDS TO IMPROVE SERVICES. +1 AM PLEASED THAT THE BOARDS, WHICH ARE DOING SOME VERY GOOD WORK IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, NOW HAVE MORE MONEY TO INCREASE THE RANGE AND SCOPE OF THEIR ACTIVITIES, HE SAID.

RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE BOARDS DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE INCLUDED VARIETY SHOWS, FUN FAIRS, CONCERTS AND SOCCER TOURNAMENTS.

SPECIAL EMPHASIS WAS PUT ON TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DANCING, PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND DRAMA. CHILDREN'S CHOIRS WERE FORMED IN SHA TIN AND SAI KUNG.

MAJOR EVENTS INCLUDED THE TSUEN WAN ARTS AND SPORTS FESTIVALS WHICH PROVED SUCCESSFUL.

MR CHUI SAID THE YEAR-ROUND RECREATION AND SPORTS PROGRAMME, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE BOARDS AND THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE, HAD HELPED TO BRING ACTIVITIES TO GRASS-ROOT LEVELS.

MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED LAST FINANCIAL YEAR INCLUDED REST GARDENS, ROAD SIDE AMENITIES AND SITTING-OUT AREAS IN SEVERAL NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS.

DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS WERE FIRST ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 1977, TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF RESIDENTS OF DISTRICTS AND ON THE PROVISION AND USE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.

THEY CONSIST OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, WHO ARE DRAWN FROM A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES COMMUNITY, INCLUDING RURAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, EDUCATIONISTS AND VOLUNTARY WORKERS. THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WAS RECENTLY INCREASED FROM 140 TO 160.

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