XN000022-1982-03-01 — Page 7

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ON

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1982

UNOFFICIALS' ROLE IN LOCAL AFFAIRS

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DR THE HON SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE TREND OF INCREASING UNOFFICIAL PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, BUT THE RESULT OF A DELIBERATE AND CONTINUING POLICY.

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD HELD AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOOL HALL, SIR SZE-YUEN SAID IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT +THE CONCEPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME+.

QUOTING THE WORDS OF THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, SIR SZE-YUEN SAID THAT THIS REFORM FOLLOWS AN EVOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.+

THE EXTENT OF UNOFFICIAL PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN MUCH BROADENED WITH THE GROWTH IN NUMBERS OF CONSULTATIVE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.

SPEAKING OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, SIR SZE-YUEN RECALLED THAT DURING THE THIRTEEN-YEAR PERIOD FROM 1965-1978, THERE WERE MANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL ALMOST DOUBLED FROM 13 TO 24- SPEECHES MADE BY MEMBERS INCREASED SIX-FOLD AND QUESTIONS ASKED INCREASED BY TEN TIMES.

LAST YEAR, UNOFFICIALS MADE UP THE GREATER NUMBER OF PERSONS

IN OVER 320 GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.

WITH UNOFFICIAL REPRESENTATION COMING FROM A WIDE AND DIVERS IF IED CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO FOCUS MORE SHARPLY ON THE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT, HE SAID.

WHILE THE PRESENT BOARD WAS MADE UP OF APPOINTED MEMBERS, IT WAS ONLY AN INTERIM ARRANGEMENT, AS THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD WOULD BE HAVING ELECTIONS IN SIX MONTHS TIME.

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