XN000022-1983-11-17 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1983

MR LAM HAD SHOWN SPECIAL EFFORTS AND ENTHUSIASM IN INVOLVING RESIDENTS OF THE SQUATTER VILLAGES IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY BUILDING PROJECTS AND CAMPAIGNS,

HE HAD SERVED AS MEMBER OF THE SHAU KEI WAN KAI FONG ASSOCIATION, CHAIRMAN OF THE SHAU KEI WAN HILLSIDE AREA COMMITTEE AND SHAU KEI WAN AGRICULTURAL, INDUSTRIAL AND MERCANTILE ASSOCIATION LTD. HE HAD ALSO BEEN CHAIRMAN OF THE NAM ON FONG MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE AND MEMBER OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

MR LAM IS CURRENTLY AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD.

BOARD MEMBERS' VITAL PUBLIC ROLE STRESSED

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WITH THEIR EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF DISTRICT AFFAIRS, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE BENEFICIAL DECISIONS FOR THE PEOPLE.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, AT THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT BOARD MEETING,

MR WIGGHAM SAID THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM MUST RELY ON CO-OPERATION AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC.

IN THIS CONNECTION, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD, BOTH APPOINTED AND ELECTED, PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PRESENTING THE VIEWS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.

+THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION ABOUT GOVERNMENT'S SINCERITY AND WILLINGNESS IN THIS PARTNERSHIP,+ HE SAID,

ON THE WORK OF THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT BOARD, HE SAID MEMBERS HAD COME A LONG WAY IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE DISTRICT.

+HOWEVER, I HASTEN TO ADD THAT WE SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT WE STILL HAVE A ́LONG WAY TO GO.

+AS A LARGE DISTRICT IN ONE OF THE OLDEST DEVELOPED URBAN AREAS, KOWLOON CITY HAS ITS FAIR SHARE OF MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

+THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF BACKLANES IS ONE SUCH PROBLEM AND WITH THE LAUNCHING OF THE 'RED ZONE OPERATIONS' IN JULY 1982, HALF OF THE BACKLANES HAVE NOW BEEN CLEARED.

+1 AM ALSO AWARE THAT ANOTHER MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM BESETTING THIS DISTRICT IS THE QUESTION OF PRIVATE STREETS AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT SCHEME TO IMPROVE THESE STREETS WILL ACHIEVE THE INTENDED RESULTS, HE SAID.

MR WIGGHAM EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT MEMBERS WOULD CONTINUE TO HELP IMPROVE THE DISTRICT.

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