XN000022-1984-04-25 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1984

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+ THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THIS PARTICIPATION TO OTHER DISTRICTS, AND TO COVER OTHER RECREATION, SPORTS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES, WOULD PROVIDE A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY IN MAKING THE BEST USE OF LOCAL RESOURCES, WITHOUT, HOWEVER, BURDENING THEM WITH DIRECT STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITY AND DAY TO DAY MANAGEMENT DETAILS,+ HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THIS FUNCTION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS COULD BE EXPANDED WITH RELATIVE EASE FOR APPROPRIATE FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS APPLY IN THE URBAN AREAS BUT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY WHICH THE URBAN COUNCIL MAY WISH TO EXPLORE.

ON THE PROPOSED NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, MR AKERS-JONES EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TRIED TO PUT FORWARD AN ARRANGEMENT WHICH WAS MOST ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE AREAS, AND WHICH PROVIDED THE MOST OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION AND DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT THEY WOULD BENEFIT AS A COMMUNITY FROM DIVERSITY AND COMPARISON.

HE SAID DUE WEIGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE FACT THAT THE AREA COVERED BY THE EIGHT NT DISTRICTS HAD A GROWING POPULATION WHICH BY 1988 WOULD BE OVER TWO MILLION. EACH OF THE EIGHT DISTRICTS HAS ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS, ITS OWN FACILITIES, ITS OWN PROBLEMS, AND AS A WHOLE THE REGION DIFFERED VERY CONSIDERABLY FROM THE HOMOGENEOUS DOWNTOWN AREAS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.

+ IN ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, SUCH AN AREA AND SUCH A POPULATION WOULD JUSTIFY ITS OWN LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES,+ HE SAID.

NEITHER WAS IT UNREASONABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT THE EIGHT DISTRICTS, BOTH THE RURAL AND NEW TOWN POPULATIONS, EXPECT THAT THE SERVICES THAT AFFECT THE IR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES, AND IN PARTICULAR THE PRIORITIES IN THE PROVISION OF THOSE SERVICES SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY AN ORGANISATION MADE UP OF RESIDENTS OF THE AREA RATHER THAN AS NOW BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, OR BY A CENTRAL COUNCIL PERCEIVED TO BE REMOTE AND LESS LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND THE IR OWN REQUIREMENTS.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE PROPOSED NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL COULD SERVE AS AN UMBRELLA STATUTORY ORGANISATION, LEAVING THE RUNNING OF MANY OF ITS FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICTS TO BE DIRECTED BY DISTRICT COMMITTEES LINKED TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

+AS A WHOLE THE REGION IS IN THE THROES OF DRAMATIC CHANGE AS EACH OF THE NEW TOWNS GROWS IN SIZE AND IT WILL ACCEPT AN INFLOW OF ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. THIS, TOO, IS CREATING AND WILL CREATE ITS OWN SPECIAL PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND REQUIRE SPECIAL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ATTENTION,+ HE SAID.

ON THE COUNCIL'S POSSIBLE MEMBERSHIP, MR AKERS-JONES SAID CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO SÚGGESTIONS THAT DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD SIT ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

IT WOULD

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