XN000022-1982-08-09 — Page 2

MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 1982

DB CAN IMPROVE PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

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A DISTRICT BOARD HAS TO USE ALL THE MEANS IN ITS POWER TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING IN THE DISTRICT IF IT IS GOING TO MEAN ANYTHING, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR GRAHAM BARNES, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

ALSO, IT HAS TO GET ITSELF ACCEPTED AS A KIND OF NUCLEUS AROUND WHICH LOCAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WILL REVOLVE, HE ADDED.

+ITS ABILITY TO SECURE THIS ACCEPTANCE WILL BE CLOSELY LINKED TO ITS ACHIEVEMENTS IN OTHER FIELDS, OR AT LEAST INITIALLY TO PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO ACHIEVE RESULTS+.

MR BARNES WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY TO PRESENT

CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION TO MEMBERS OF THE FIRST TERM OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD, WHICH HELD ITS LAST MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.

THE BOARD WILL HAVE 12 ELECTED AND 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS IN OCTOBER WHEN THE NEW TERM BEGINS.

MR BARNES SAID THE PERFORMANCE OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAD SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE OTHER BOARDS WHICH WERE SET UP LATER,

+ IT HAS ALSO HELPED DISPEL THE RATHER TOO POPULAR FEARS OF SOME THAT DISTRICT BOARDS WERE JUST A NEW KIND OF CHARADE BEING ACTED OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS PURPOSES.

+OF COURSE, WE HAVE ALL BEEN LEARNING, AND I AM SURE THAT WE ALL STILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT TO LEARN.

+THIS CERTIFICATE DOES NO JUSTICE TO THAT SERVICE EITHER IN TERMS OF THE TIME OR OF THE ENTHUSIASM WHICH YOU HAVE EXPENDED ON YOUR WORK.

+YOU HAVE LAID THE BEST POSSIBLE FOUNDATION FOR THE BOARD IN ITS SECOND TERM WHEN IT WILL INCLUDE ELECTED MEMBERS, AND MORE IMPORTANT YOU HAVE SERVED KWUN TONG WELL,+ MR BARNES SAID.