XN000022-1982-02-25 — Page 3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, Tyoc

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DISTRICT BOARDS WORTHWHILE, ZONTA CLUB TOLD

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THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR JAN MACPHERSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) HE HAD BEEN TAKING A +VERY CRITICAL LOOK+ AT THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCE OF NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARDS.

MR MACPHERSON, WHO WAS TALKING TO ZONTA CLUB MEMBERS SAID HE HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THE BOARDS ON THE EVE OF THE ELECTIONS TO SEE WHETHER THEY WERE DOING GOOD AND CONSTRUCTIVE WORK OR WHETHER, AS SOME WOULD HAVE IT, THEY WERE A WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME.

+LET ME QUOTE TO YOU EXCERPTS FROM REPORTS I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING IN SUPPORT OF MY CONTENTION THAT THE BOARDS ARE MAKING A CONSTRUCTIVE AND WORTHWHILE CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR DISTRICTS, HE SAID.

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+FIRST EXCERPT AND I SHOULD PERHAPS SAY THAT THIS IS TAKEN FROM AN INTERNAL REPORT NOT INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION: 'THIS DISTRICT BOARD COMPRISES EIGHT OFFICIALS AND 11 UNOFFICIALS. IT USUALLY MEETS TWO WEEKS AFTER ITS CORRESPONDING DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND HAS MET FIVE TIMES SINCE APRIL, 1981. THE ATTENDANCE RATE IS HIGH.

HOWEVER

'REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD HAS IMPROVED SINCE MR X, AN INDUSTRIAL IST, AND MR Y, A SOCIAL WORKER, WERE APPOINTED, SOME SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT REPRESENTED AND THE BALANCE OF REPRESENTATION WILL HAVE TO BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW WHEN ELECTED MEMBERS BEGIN SERVING ON THE BOARD.

*THE UNOFFICIALS ARE ACTIVE AT MEETINGS AND FORTHCOMING WITH THEIR VIEWS. BEING HIGHLY EDUCATED THEY ARE NOT PAROCHIAL IN THE IR VIEWS AND WIDER ISSUES ON A HONG KONG-WIDE BASIS CAN BE MEANINGFULLY DISCUSSED. THE BOARD HAS BECOME THE SOUNDING BOARD OF LOCAL OPINION ON ISSUES LARGE AND SMALL AFFECTING THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.

'OUTSIDE THE BOARD, EACH UNOFFICIAL MEMBER SERVES ON

AT LEAST ONE SUB-COMMITTEE OF HIS OWN CHOICE. THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF LOCAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES IS VALUABLE AND THEIR CHAIRMANSHIP OF AREA COMMITTEES AND COMMUNITY HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND SO ON IS AN EFFECTIVE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE BOARD AND VARIOUS LOCAL COORDINATING BODIES.

'AS REGARDS THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS, THEY ADEQUATELY REPRESENT THE IR DEPARTMENTS AND MOST ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE VIEWS OF THE BOARD AND COOPERATE WITH THE UNOFFICIALS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO DISTRICT SERVICES'.+

MR MACPHERSON GAVE DETAILS OF A REPORT ON A SECOND BOARD WHICH SAID, ON THE WHOLE, PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE BOARD HAD BEEN FAVOURABLE IN THE PAST YEAR AND GOOD SUPPORT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHICH WAS BECOMING MORE AWARE OF THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AS A CONSULTATIVE BODY IN THE DISTRICT.

HE FOUND THESE TWO EXTRACTS FROM OBJECTIVE REPORTS ENCOURAGING FOR THE FUTURE, MR MACPHERSON SAID.

/HE SAID