XN000022-1980-08-20 — Page 17

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When I attended the inauguration ceremony of the 23rd Tern of the

Heung Yee Kuk in 1978, I mentioned that the processes of consultation at

district level had been strengthened with the formation of the District

Advisory Boards. Now your Government is proposing a further step forward.

While maintaining the principal features of the present composition of District

Boards, the Green Paper on district administration proposes the addition of a

directly elected element so as to give them greater authority, to strengthen

their relationship with the local community, and to increase the public

accountability of the Board as a whole. These proposals have been received

with interest and in the New Territories they are generally well supported.

I must pay tribute to the Kuk who recognise the need to evolve; new channels

of communication with the large number of new arrivals in the towns of the

New Territories and who realise how vitally important it is to create a sense

of local concern about the way the towns, their amenities and their housing

estates are managed and developed.

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We believe

We are closely watching reactions to those parts of our proposals

which involve elections and will take full account of them. Our aim is a

satisfying life in a satisfactory community and only partnership between

responsible government and responsible citizenship can create this,

this partnership will be difficult to cultivate unless those people who want

to however selected are given an opportunity to involve themselves directly

in the administration and leadership of the community in which they live,

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and use the opportunity with energy and responsibility,

/However,