XN000022-1984-03-13 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1984

+NO DOUBT THEY WILL MAKE MISTAKES FOR THEY DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE IR URBAN NEIGHBOURS, BUT THEY WILL QUICKLY LEARN BY SUCH MISTAKES, HE SAID.

+NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD COSTS BUT THE JUDGEMENT TO BE MADE IS WHETHER SUCH ADDITIONAL COSTS ARE ACCEPTABLE IN ENSURING A SATISFACTORY REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM.

+BUT WHAT WE MUST FOCUS ON IS ARRIVING AT THE BEST AND MOST ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA.+

TURNING TO THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN ELECTED ELEMENT ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE APPOINTMENT OF UNOFFICIAL CHAIRMAN, MR MACPHERSON SAID THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

+DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE NOT ONLY A VALUABLE DISTRICT ADVISORY BODY, BUT ALSO AN IMPORTANT LINK IN THE BOARD CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY THAT GOVERNMENT HAS RELIED ON IN SEEKING TO PURSUE THE AIM OF ADMINISTRATION BY CONSENSUS.

+ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE DISTRICT BOARD SYSTEM HAS WORKED WELL AND THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME SO AS TO ENSURE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO SUIT HONG KONG'S EVOLVING NEEDS AND CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.+

ON THE MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES, HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO EXAMINE IN GREATER DETAIL BEFORE MAKING A DECISION.

FOR INSTANCE, WHETHER IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR THE BOARDS TO TAKE ON THE EXECUTIVE DUTIES, OR LIMIT THE IR MANAGEMENT ROLE TO ADVISORY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES ONLY.

ANOTHER QUESTION TO BE EXAMINED WAS WHETHER THE BOARDS' MANAGEMENT ROLE WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL WHICH, IF MODED ALONG THE URBAN COUNCIL LINE, WOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SUCH FACILITIES AS TOWN HALLS AND SWIMMING POOLS.

AS FOR THE SETTING UP OF MORE BOARDS FOR LARGE AND COMPLEX DISTRICTS, MR MACPHERSON SAID THE PROPOSAL WAS BEING EXAMINED IN DETAIL, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS CONCERNED AND OTHER LOCAL PUBLIC OPINION.

+THESE PROPOSALS ARE DESIGNED FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE AND IT IS NOT GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO PROCEED WITH THEM UNLESS THEY COMMAND SUPPORT.

+ THE DOOR FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN RESPECT OF THESE PROPOSALS IS STILL WIDE OPEN AND FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THESE PROPOSALS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME, HE SAID.

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