XN000022-1980-06-10 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1980

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REINFORCED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WILL

HELP DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS

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THE +TIMELY+ PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REINFORCE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WILL HELP SIGNIFICANTLY IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI KAM, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

MR CHUI WAS SPEAKING TO THE LIONS CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ON THE GREEN PAPER, A PATTERN OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG NONG+, PUBLISHED LAST FRIDAY.

MR CHUI SAID AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL IN THE GREEN PAPER WAS TO DIVIDE THE NEW TERRITORIES INTO CONSTITUENCIES, EACH OF WHICH WOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ELECTED BY THE PUBLIC TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. THESE REPRESENTATIVES WOULD BE ELECTED TO DISTRICT BOARDS, WHICH WOULD REPLACE THE EIGHT DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS SET UP IN 1977.

THE GREEN PAPER, HE SAID, HAD SUGGESTED THAT AN ELECTED ELEMENT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE POSITION OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS AND INCREASE THEIR INFLUENCE.

HE RECALLED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THE GOVERNMENT HAD ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AT DISTRICT LEVEL AND HAD REVIEWED AND STUDIED REGULARLY WAYS OF BETTER SERVING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICTS.

AS NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BEGAN TO BE ESTABLISHED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN STRENGTHENED BY THE FORMATION OF TOWN MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES.

MEMBERS OF THESE COMMITTEES INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE DISTRICTS. TOWN MANAGERS OR DISTRICT OFFICERS, AS CHAIRMEN, WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CO-ORDINATING GOVERNMENT PLANS AND POLICIES.

CO-ORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAD ALSO HELPED INCREASE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE EFFECTIVENESS AS A WHOLE AT DISTRICT LEVEL.

MR CHUI SAID A SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE ENHANCED BY THE PARTICIPATION OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.

THE GOVERNMENT FELT THAT ITS SERVICES SHOULD BE ASSESSED BY RESIDENTS OF DISTRICTS AND INADEQUACIES DRAWN TO THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS CAME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. THEY WERE CAPABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE, FAMILIAR WITH LOCAL CONDITIONS,

SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD SCHEME THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN INCREASED.

BESIDES THOSE APPOINTED TO THE BOARDS BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE CHAIRMEN OF RURAL COMMITTEES ALSO SERVED AS MEMBERS. THUS, PROBLEMS IN THE NEW TOWNS AND OLD VILLAGES COULD BOTH BE LOOKED AFTER BY THE BOARD.

/MR CHUT