XN000022-1982-09-13 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1982

GOVERNOR URGES ELECTORS TO VOTE

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY URGED THE 700 000 REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THE COMING URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS TO VOTE ON POLLING DAY, SEPTEMBER 23.

+THEY SHOULD NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE THEIR CIVIC RIGHT BY CASTING THE IR VOTE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

+BY DOING SO THEY DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT NOT ONLY FOR THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE, BUT ALSO THEIR INTEREST IN, AND CONCERN FOR, THE GENERAL WELFARE AND GOOD ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLACE IN WHICH WE LIVE.

SIR EDWARD WAS ADDRESSING CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS AND DISTRICT OFFICERS IN THEIR CAPACITY AS CHAIRMEN OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND RETURNING OFFICERS FOR THE FORTHCOMING URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AT A DISTRICT OFFICERS' MEETING CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

DESCRIBING THE PROGRESS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AS IMPRESSIVE+, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE SYSTEM WOULD BE ENTERING AN IMPORTANT SECOND PHASE IN THE URBAN AREAS: ELECTED MEMBERS WOULD JOIN THE APPOINTED MEMBERS AND URBAN COUNCILLORS.

+ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WILL ADD CREDIBILITY AND NEW TALENT TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND FOR THE FIRST TIME PEOPLE IN THE URBAN DISTRICTS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON WILL BE ABLE TO ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ON A WIDE ELECTORAL FRANCHISE, HE SAID.

+WITH SOUND ADVICE FROM PEOPLE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, OUR MAJOR PROGRAMMES, WHICH MUST BE CENTRALLY PLANNED AND CO-ORDINATED, CAN BE BETTER DIRECTED AND BETTER GEARED TO MEET THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE IN EACH LOCALITY.

+THIS IS WHAT DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IS ALL ABOUT: IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE AND THEIR IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT, THEIR WELL-BEING, WHAT THEY LIKE AND WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE, AND THEIR INTER-ACTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES.

*THE FUNDAMENTAL DUTY OF DISTRICT BOARDS IS THEREFORE TO REPRESENT THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE AT DISTRICT LEVEL AND TO REFLECT THEIR VIEWS TO THE GOVERNMENT.+

SIR EDWARD RE-AFFIRMED THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

+ IT WILL DO ITS UTMOST TO FOLLOW UP THE BOARD'S ADVICE AND ENSURE THAT THE IR VIEWS ARE GIVEN DUE WEIGHT IN THE FORMULATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES, HE SAID.

+BUT FOR DISTRICT BOARDS TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THEIR MEMBERS SHOULD FIRST HAVE THE GENERAL BACKING OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

/+A STRONG,