XN000022-1984-06-01 — Page 4

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

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FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1984

+FOUNDATION FOR PROGRESS+

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THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM, WITH ITS LATEST REFORMS, HAS BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AND PROVIDED A SOUND FOUNDATION ON WHICH HONG KONG SHOULD BUILD HER SYSTEM, THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY (GENERAL) OF CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR C.M. LEUNG, SAID TODAY.

+THE ENHANCED REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, TOGETHER WITH THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, WILL OPEN UP EVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE GOVERNANCE OF HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

+FOR IT IS ONLY THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT THAT WE BECOME BETTER ABLE TO BUILD A GREAT TRADITION OF OUR OWN AND TO DRAW UP A BETTER DESIGN FOR OUR FUTURE+,

SPEAKING AT A LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG CENTRAL LUNCHEON MEETING, MR LEUNG SAID THE FORMULATION OF MORE DEFINITE AND DETAILED PROPOSALS RELATING TO THE REFORMS ON LOCAL ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE CARRIED OUT DURING THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE DOUBLING OF ELECTED MEMBERS, TOGETHER WITH THE ELECTION OF UNOFFICIALS AS CHAIRMAN, WOULD GIVE A NEW

IMPETUS TO THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN MONITORING THE PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

ON THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, HE SAID ITS MEMBERS WOULD NOT SIT ON DISTRICT BOARDS, BUT RATHER THAT THE BOARDS WOULD EACH FORM AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE TÓ ELECT THE IR REPRESENTATIVES TO THE COUNCIL.

+ IT IS HOPED THAT THIS WILL HELP DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE WORK ING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE NT DISTRICT BOARDS ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE PROPOSED DEVOLUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO THE NT DISTRICT BOARDS,+ HE SAID.

THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD HAVE 12 DIRECTLY ELECTED, NINE INDIRECTLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DISTRICT BOARDS, NINE APPOINTED AND THREE EX-OFF IC 10 MEMBERS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK.

+THIS MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE AN ELECTED MAJORITY ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. THE STRONG REPRESENTATIVE STATUS OF THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL AT THE VERY BEGINNING IS THEREFORE SELF-EVIDENT, HE SAID.

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