XN000022-1984-09-13 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1984

+HAVING REGARD TO THE OVER-RIDING NEED FOR STABILITY AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS MAY NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

MR CHAN SAID SOME CRITICS HAVE ARGUED THAT THE PROPOSAL TO RETAIN THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM APPEAR TO OBVIATE THE NEED TO DRAW ON PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND EXPERTISE THROUGH THE CREATION OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

+SUCH ARGUMENTS NEGLECT THE VERY ESSENCE OF THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS WHICH AIM AT THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF APPOINTED MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.

+THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES DEEM IT APPROPRIATE THAT THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM SHOULD NO LONGER BE RETAINED, HE ADDED.

+THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IS A SAFEGUARD TO ENSURE THAT A BALANCED REPRESENTATION OF THE VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY COULD BE ACHIEVED IF THERE IS A DECISION TO ABANDON THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM,+ HE SAID.

YOUTH GROUPS GET $1.7M JOCKEY CLUB GRANT

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FIVE YOUTH ACTIVITIES WILL BE BENEFITING THIS YEAR FROM GRANTS TOTALLING $1.7 MILLION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB.

THE GRANTS WERE GIVEN UNDER A JOCKEY CLUB SCHEME, AIMED AT PROVIDING RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 1980. TOGETHER WITH THE LATEST GRANT, ABOUT $7 MILLION HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT UNDER THE SCHEME SO FAR.

A MAJOR BENEFICIARY THIS YEAR IS THE HONG KONG SCOUT ASSOCIATION, WHICH RECEIVED $750 000 TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO-STOREY BUILDING IN ITS TUNG TSZ CAMP IN TAI PO, PROVIDING INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR SCOUTS.

AN ALMOST SIMILAR AMOUNT WAS GIVEN FOR WORK ON A CHILDREN'S WADING POOL AT THE WU KAI SHA YOUTH VILLAGE.

OTHER GRANTS MADE WERE:

* $78 000 TO CARITAS-HONG KONG FOR INSTALLATION OF A FULLY- EQUIPPED +CHALLENGE COURSE + FOR CHILDREN AT THE OI FAI CAMP ON CHEUNG CHAU ISLAND;

* $60 000 TO THE ZION YOUTH SERVICE CENTRE FOR CONSTRUCTION

OF A DANCE STUDIO IN YAU TONG; AND

* $16 000 FOR THE SHAN SHEK WAN YOUTH CAMP ON LANTAU ISLAND

TO IMPROVE THE ARCHERY RANGE.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE GRANTS HAD FIRST BEEN EXAMINED BY THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT.

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