XN000022-1983-08-25 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1983

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WOULD YOU COMMENT ON THE SUCCESS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AND WILL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS BE INCLUDED IN THE APPOINTMENT?

I WON'T COMMENT ON THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR QUESTION. THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION .. ABOUT DISTRICT BOARD. I THINK THE DISTRICT BOARD IS WORKING EXTREMELY WELL AND OF COURSE THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO THE GREAT SUPPORT GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT BOARD BY THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES

WHICH BRING TOGETHER ALL EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS IN A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT AND THEY SERVICE THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND RESPOND TO THE OPINIONS OF DISTRICT BOARDS, IN MY VIEW, IN THE MOST IMAGINATIVE WAY.

WILL THE DISTRICT BOARDS' POWERS BE EXPANDED TO POLICY MAKING ?

THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY BEEN SET UP, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO THINK IN TERMS OF CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DISTRICT BOARD YET, WE MUST LEARN BY EXPERIENCE. I'VE NO DOUBT THAT THERE'D BE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARD IN THE FUTURE, TO THEIR COMPOSITION, TO THE TERRITORIAL BOUNDARIES AND SO ON. BUT WE MUST TAKE THESE THINGS QUITE SLOWLY. THERE'S NO NEED TO RUSH.

WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENT?

I'M SIMPLY SAYING THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE ONLY BEEN WITH US FOR A FAIRLY SHORT TIME. I'VE NO DOUBT THAT IN DUE COURSE THERE'D BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. WHAT THEY WILL BE I'VE NO IDEA.

THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT BOARD WILL BE DISCUSSING THE QUESTION OF 1997 TOMORROW. WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THE DISTRICT BOARD TO DO THAT.....

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD TO DISCUSS SUBJECTS. THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE CERTAIN FUNCTIONS. THEIR MAIN ROLE IS TO ADVISE THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND THE GOVERNMENT GENERALLY ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELFARE OF PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT BUT IF THEY WISH TO RAISE ANY SUBJECT AT ALL RELATING TO THEIR LIVELIHOOD UNDER ANY OTHER BUSINESS, IN A DISTRICT BOARD MEETING, IN ANY OF THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS THEY MAY DO SO. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT BOARD WILL RAISE THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE UNDER ANY OTHER BUSINESS AT THEIR NEXT MEETING. THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULDN'T.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, MR XU JIA TUN WILL LISTEN TO THE OPINION CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF HK FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

MR XU IS AT LIBERTY TO THAT IF HE WISHES.

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