XN000022-1980-10-22 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1980

+HOWEVER, GOVERNMENT'S 'FAILURE TO RESPOND TO DISTRICTS' EXPECTATIONS MAY LEAD TO DESPAIR AND INDIGNATION.

+DELAY IN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION MAY LEAD TO FRUSTRATION AND DISSATISFACTION, MR YEUNG SAID.

HE THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE GIVEN A WELL DEFINED LEVEL OF DECISION-MAKING POWER WHICH SHOULD BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A RIGHT OF DIRECT ACCESS TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

+THIS AUTHORITY SHOULD BE ABOVE THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL WITH THE POWER TO MAKE SPEEDY DECISIONS TO IMPLEMENT GOVERNMENT POLICY.

+THIS AUTHORITY, IF APPOINTED, SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE DUTY TO FORM AN EFFECTIVE CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE AND IT MAY BE ASSISTED BY AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE DRAWN FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, HE ADDED.

MR YEUNG ADVISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTRODUCE UNOFFICIAL ELEMENTS TO SUCH ADVISORY COMMITTEES BUT STRESSED THAT THE ULTIMATE POLICY DECISION WOULD REMAIN WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

ON THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, HE SAID TO PROVIDE A SPEEDY REMEDY FOR THE GENERAL LACK OF BASIC FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICTS, IT IS ADVISABLE TO ALLOCATE A CERTAIN SIZABLE FUND EITHER FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE OR FROM LOCAL RATES TO DISTRICT BOARDS FOR CAPITAL WORKS EXPENDITURE ON CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL PROJECTS PURSUANT TO THE ORDER OF PRIORITY ACCORDED BY DISTRICT BOARDS.

+AN ANALOGY MAY BE DRAWN FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL WHICH HAS UTILISED ITS FUND VERY SUCCESSFULLY IN THIS DIRECTION.+

AS REGARDS THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM, MR YEUNG AGREED WITH THE GREEN PAPER THAT MEMBERS SHOULD BE ELECTED BY A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA SO THAT THEY WOULD CONCENTRATE THE IR ATTENTION AND ENERGY ON THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUENCIES.

HOWEVER, HE SAID HE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE COULD NOT BE A SINGLE ELECTION ON A CONSTITUENCY BASIS IN THE URBAN DISTRICTS AS ENVISAGED IN THE GREEN PAPER, PRODUCING ELECTED MEMBERS TO SERVE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE URBAN COUNCIL WHICH WERE MEANT TO SERVE THE SAME PEOPLE.

ON THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, MR YEUNG SAID THE PRESENT DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM HAS PROVED TO BE A USEFUL FORUM FOR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CO-ORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IN THE DISTRICTS.

BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT A DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE HAS ITS INGRAINED SHORTFALL IN ITS ABILITY TO PRODUCE QUICK AND RESPONSIVE ACTION TO THE NEED OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

/+IN CRUOR