XN000022-1984-07-24 — Page 27

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TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1984

MR SCOTT TRACED THE TRANSPORT STUDIES COMMISSIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT SINCE 1960.

DESPITE ALL THE STUDIES, HE SAID, THE LOCAL TRANSPORT SITUATION

MAINLY DUE TO COMPETITION WAS NOT AS GOOD AS HE LIKED IT TO BE FOR RESOURCES AND NATURAL POLITICAL HESITATION TO IMPOSE ALL THE DESIRABLE MEASURES OF CONTROL.

+WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW BEST TO HUSBAND OUR PRESENT RESOURCES TO OPTIMISE THE ROAD NETWORK IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY TRAFFIC FLOW FOR HONG KONG IN THE CONTINUING FUTURE. HE ADDED.

NEW CHALLENGE TO DB MEMBERS

****

DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL FACE A NEW CHALLENGE AFTER NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS BECAUSE THEY STAND THE CHANCE OF BEING SELECTED TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL OR EVEN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MRS RITA LAU, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

+THESE DB MEMBERS WILL THEN SERVE NOT ONLY THEIR OWN DISRICTS, BUT ALSO THE TERRITORY AS A WHOLE WHEN THEY SIT ON THE HIGHER COUNCILS.+

MRS LAU WAS SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANISED BY THE NEW TERRITORIES GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ANNOUNCE PLANS TO HELP PROMOTE THE COMING VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN.

+NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS WILL MARK A NEW ERA IN DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE BY THEN, ELECTED SEATS OF THE BOARDS WILL BE INCREASED AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDS WILL BE ELECTED AMONG THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.

+THESE CHANGES WILL INCREASE THE REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE BOARDS AND FURTHER PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY, SHE SAID.

CONTRIBUTIONS BY DB MEMBERS TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST THREE YEARS WAS EVIDENT AND MRS LAU URGED ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT BOARDS BY REGISTERING AS VOTERS.

SHE SAID A SIX-WEEK VOTERS REGISTRATION EXERCISE WOULD START

IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH.

+HOWEVER, THE SUPPORT FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IN MAKING DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION A SUCCESS, + MRS LAU ADDED.

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