XN000022-1982-12-20 — Page 3

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1982

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+THIS WILL ENSURE A BETTER AND MORE INFORMED RESPONSE FROM THE CENTRE TO DISTRICT PROBLEMS.

+FINALLY. BECAUSE IT WILL INCREASE THE ELECTIVE ELEMENT OF THE BOARDS. IT WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR REPRESENTATIVENESS AND AUTHORITY TO SPEAK ON THE LOCAL IMPACT OF CENTRAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES.+

IN HIS SPEECH, THE SECRETARY TRACED THE HISTORY OF THE URBAN COUNCIL BACK TO 1883 WHEN THE FIRST SANITARY BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO DEAL WITH THE FLEDGLING CITY'S MUNICIPAL PROBLEMS.

HE OUTLINED THE CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE RIGHT UP TO THE WHITE PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, DESCRIBING THE PROCESS AS +A CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION AND RESPONSE TO CHANGING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN KEEPING WITH THE DYNAMIC CHARACTER OF HONG KONG

+AND YET UNDERLYING THE PROCESS OF CHANGE AND ADAPTATION WE FIND ENDURING QUALITIES, THOSE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHICH ARE SO VITAL TO ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

+THE HISTORY OF HONG KONG SHOWS THAT THE BULK OF THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE MINDS OF PEOPLE TODAY - ECONOMIC RECESSION, DECLINING LAND VALUES (OR CONVERSELY LAND SPECULATION DEPENDING ON OUR PREVAILING ECONOMIC FORTUNES) LAW AND ORDER, OVERCROWDING, IMMIGRATION CONTROL AND WATER SUPPLY HAVE BEEN ALWAYS WITH US.

+

+SELDOM IN THE PAST HAVE THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE BEEN FREE FROM THE NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH ONE OR ANOTHER OF THESE PROBLEMS, AND WE CAN LOOK WITH PRIDE AND SATISFACTION OVER THE PAST THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RESILIENT ENOUGH TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE, AND GET THE BETTER OF THEM.

+ IF HISTORY HAS ANY LESSONS TO TEACH IT WILL TELL US THAT WE CAN FACE THE FUTURE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL FIND A HONG KONG SOLUTION TO HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS.+

MR AKERS-JONES ADDED WE NOW HAVE AN INTERNAL LIFE AND AN IDENTITY OF OUR OWN AND THE URBAN COUNCIL IS YOUR COUNCIL+.

HE URGED ALL AS CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT AND WONDERFUL CITY, WHICH HAS GROWN FROM NOTHING, TO PLAY YOUR PART IN THE ELECTIONS FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL NEXT YEAR. FOR IT IS YOUR CONCERN+.

THE URBAN COUNCIL IS NOW THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE FOR A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RANGING FROM STREET CLEANSING, FOOD HYGIENE, HAWKERS, RUNNING PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS, BUILDING AND MANAGING MARKETS AND HAWKER BAZAARS, SWIMMING POOLS, PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS AND SPORTING STADIA.

THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES WILL BEGIN ON JANUARY 7 AND LAST FOR THREE WEEKS. ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 8.

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