XN000022-1983-10-27 — Page 14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1983

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BIGGER ROLE SOUGHT FOR DISTRICT BOARDS

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DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD BE MERE WINDOW DRESSING UNLESS THEIR ADVICE WAS CONSIDERED, AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, ACTED UPON PROMPTLY AND WITH IMAGINATION, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SOME DB MEMBERS FELT THAT THEIR SUGGESTIONS SOMETIMES DID NOT RECEIVE THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVED. HE ALSO SAID THAT DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES APPEARED TO BE UNDULY BOUND BY EXISTING OR OUTDATED POLICIES WHICH MIGHT NOT SUIT THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.

HOWEVER, HE ADDED, DISTRICT BOARDS ARE A NEW SET-UP AND THAT TIME MUST BE ALLOWED FOR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO GEAR THEMSELVES UP TO MEET LOCAL DISTRICT NEEDS.+

REGARDING GOVERNMENT'S REPRESENTATION ON DISTRICT BOARDS

MR CHAN SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD BE GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO SPEAK FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND AT THE SAME TIME. BE ENCOURAGED TO THINK DISTRICT' AND 'ACT DISTRICT' WITHIN THE PERIMETER OF THEIR DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES.

HE ALSO SAID THAT ADVICE OF DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE SOUGHT ON ISSUES OF TERRITORY-WIDE INTEREST AND SIGNIFICANCE.

+I BELIEVE AN UNUSUALLY GOOD START HAS BEEN MADE OF DISTRICT BOARDS AS A MECHANISM FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN THE RECENT DISCUSSION OF THE LLEWELLYN REPORT ON EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE EIGHTEEN DISTRICT BOARDS.

+THIS, TO MY MIND, REPRESENTS A MAJOR STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I DO HOPE THAT FUTURE ISSUES OF TERRITORY-WIDE IMPORTANCE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE DEBATED AT THE DISTRICT BOARDS, HE SAID.

HE SAID ALSO THAT DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITY AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT A +MORE FORMAL LINK CAN BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE DISTRICT BOARDS, URBAN COUNCIL, AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.+

MR CHAN SAID HE BELIEVED THAT DISTRICT BOARDS COULD ASSUME A MORE SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN WORKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN SQUATTER AREAS.

+SUCH IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN AS MANY AREAS AS POSSIBLE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE PROVISION OF METERED WATER SUPPLY AND IMPROVED SANITATION FACILITIES, HE SAID,

HE SAID THAT DISTRICT OFFICES COULD ALSO HELP IN THE PROCESS BY ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO ORGANISE THEMSELVES INTO MUTUAL AID GROUPS TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH THEIR OWN EFFORTS.

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