XN000022-1984-01-18 — Page 32

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984

+

THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND DISTRICT BOARDS IN EACH OF THE 18 ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICTS.

REFERRING TO FREQUENT COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MACHINERIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES, MR WONG SAID THERE WAS AN INHERENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

FOR EXAMPLE, LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE NORMALLY IN CHARGE OF LOCAL TOWN PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ROADS, PROVISION OF LOCAL HOUSING, WELFARE, EDUCATION, SOCIAL AND AMENITY SERVICES.

→DICTATED BY THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONFINES OF THE TERRITORY AND THE HIGH MOBILITY OF THE POPULATION, HONG KONG HAS A CENTRALISED FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND THE CIVIL SERVICE OPERATES MOST OF THE SERVICES WHICH IN OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES, HE SAID.

+THE CIVIL SERVICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES AS HOSPITALS, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, URBAN CLEANSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE POLICE FORCE.

+TO LAUNCH DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION ALONG THE LINE OF THE UK MODEL WOULD ONLY BE UNECONOMICAL AND COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

*THEREFORE, INSTEAD OF SEEKING TO DE-CENTRALISE ALL THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES, ONE SHOULD PERHAPS LOOK INTO AREAS WHERE DISTRICT BOARD ADVICE CAN LEAD TO THE PROVISION OF BETTER SERVICES WITHOUT REQUIRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

+A POSSIBLE AREA FOR INVESTIGATION WOULD BE THE MANAGEMENT OF IDENTIFIABLE DISTRICT COMMUNITY FACILITIES, HE SAID.

AVIATION CHIEF ATTENDS TALKS

*****

MR TREVOR THORPE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, LEFT FOR MANILA TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO REPRESENT HONG KONG AT AIR SERVICES TALKS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENTS.

WHILE THERE, MR THORPE WILL ALSO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON MATTERS OF MUTUAL AVIATION INTEREST WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF AIR TRANSPORTATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.

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