XN000022-1984-01-18 — Page 31

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984

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DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IS EVOLUTIONARY

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THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IN HONG KONG IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY AND WILL DEVELOP TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, SAID MR WILFRED WONG, DISTRICT OFFICER OF YAU MA TEI AND MONG KOK.

+WE MUST TAKE HEED NOT TO DEPRIVE IT OF NORMAL GROWTH. LIKE WINE, IT SHOULD BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT TIME TO MATURE AND MELLOW. +

IN A LUNCHEON SPEECH TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON WEST. HE SAID NO SYSTEM, POLITICAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE, COULD BE ESTABLISHED OVERNIGHT AND NO SYSTEM WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION COULD BE BRANDED AS PERFECT.

+GOVERNMENT IS WELL AWARE OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM CONTINUES TO EVOLVE TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

+ IN THIS RESPECT, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IS NOW REVIEWING THE EXISTING SYSTEM TO SEE HOW IT CAN BE FURTHER IMPROVED.+

ALTHOUGH THE DISTRICT BOARDS DO NOT HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, MR WONG SAID THEY HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HIGHLIGHTING DISTRICT PROBLEMS AND INFLUENCING THE WAY THESE PROBLEMS WERE TO BE DEALT WITH.

THE EXISTENCE OF DISTRICT BOARDS HAD ALSO BROUGHT ABOUT MORE SPEEDY RESPONSE FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED.

+THE CONCEPT OF ENCOURAGING GREATER LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE BEEN LOOKED UPON AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE.

+THE 492 MEMBERS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE UNOFFICIALS HAVE ALL WORKED HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE IR OWN DISTRICTS, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS PRESSURE AND ANXIETY FOR ACHIEVEMENTS FROM AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS AND MORE SO FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

+ALSO, MANY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS OFTEN FEEL THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER OR AUTHORITY TO EFFECT THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO MEET THE DEMAND AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

+AS A RESPONSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT, WE WELCOME SUCH EXPRESSIONS BUT AT THE SAME TIME SHOULD TRY TO ASSESS THEIR VALIDITY, HE SAID.

/THE GOVERNMENT