XN000022-1983-04-21 — Page 8

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1983

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HE SAID THE TOLERANT CHINESE MENTALITY TENDED TO CREATE BUREAUCRATIC COMPLACENCY AND OVERSIGHT AND COULD LEAD TO VIOLENT LARGE SCALE ERUPTIONS BEYOND A CERTAIN TOLERANCE LEVEL.

+THUS PROBLEMS MUST BE IDENTIFIED EARLY, UNRAVELLED AND RESOLVED BEFORE THEY ESCALATE, HE SAID.

+ANOTHER IMPLICATION IS THAT THE ROLES OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE DISTRICT MUST CHANGE.

+THEY WILL BECOME MORE CO-OPERATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE THAN DIRECTIVE IN HANDLING DISTRICT AFFAIRS.

+THE INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF THE DISTRICT BOARD WILL CERTAINLY MEAN A REDUCED PROMINENCE OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

+THIS DEVELOPMENT, IN MY VIEW, IS NOT A CAUSE FOR WORRY, BUT A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR A BUREAUCRACY, MATURING WITH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.-

HE SAID BOTH THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL TO MEET THE CHANGE.

FOR INSTANCE, THE CAMPAIGN CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE OF THE DISTRICT BOARD WAS ABOLISHED, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE WERE COMBINED, AND THREE NEW COMMITTEES TO ADVISE ON HOUSING, NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY, COMMERCE, LAW AND ORDER WERE FORMED.

THERE WAS A BALANCE OF INFLUENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF WORK WITH THE RECENT RESHUFFLE OF THE COMMITTEES' CHAIRMANSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS, AND THE BOARD WAS NOW INVOLVED IN THE MORE TECHNICAL AND MORE DIFFICULT ASPECTS OF TOWN MANAGEMENT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAD, SINCE THIS MONTH, DEPLOYED, TWO-THIRDS OF THE LIAISON OFFICERS TO HELP SET UP MORE MACS IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND SERVICE THEM, MAINTAIN REGULAR CONTACT WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, PROMOTE MINORITY INTERESTS AND REVITALISE THOSE DORMANT ORGANISATIONS WHICH WOULD IMPROVE COMMUNITY BUILDING.

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, MR TSANG SAID SHOULD THE DISTRICT BOARD SET ITS PRIORITIES RIGHT AND ACT DISCRIMINATELY AND TACTFULLY, ITS ADVICE WOULD BE AS GOOD AS GOLD.

+ IF MY ASSESSMENT IS CORRECT, THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY

BE A MUCH GREATER INTEREST AMONG THE VOCAL OR SO-CALLED PRESSURE GROUP MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT BOARD AFFAIRS, HE SAID.

HE BELIEVED THE SHA TIN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTION IN 1985 WOULD THUS BE FAR MORE COMPETITIVE; MORE ELECTORS WOULD COME FORWARD; AND NEW FACES AND A NEW BALANCE OF INFLUENCE WOULD EMERGE.

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