XN000022-1984-10-25 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1984

+ THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RAISE THE STATUS OF AREA COMMITTEES, CONSIDER ALLOCATING PREMISES TO THEM AND DEPLOYING LIAISON OFFICERS TO WORK IN THE COMMITTEE PREMISES ON AN AREA BASIS, SO THAT RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA WILL KNOW BETTER THE ROLE OF AREA COMMITTEES, AND THERE WILL BE INCREASED CONTACT BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF AREA COMMITTEES.

+OUR LEADERS OF THE FUTURE WILL ALL COME FROM WITHIN THE DISTRICTS, AND TO INCREASE THE RATE AND STRENGTHEN THE CHANNELS OF PARTICIPATION, COUPLED WITH THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PROVISION OF RESOURCES, THESE ARE THE ESSENTIAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS OF THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM,+ MRS NG SAID.

SHE SAID SHE HOPED IN FUTURE MUTUAL COMMUNICATION COULD BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD THEN JOIN HANDS WITH EACH OTHER HARMONIOUSLY IN FORMULATING POLICIES THROUGH THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS.

TOUCHING ON HOUSING POLICIES, MRS NG SAID SHE WELCOMED THE PLAN TO HAVE ALL SQUATTERS IN THE URBAN AREAS REHOUSED BY THE EARLY 1990'S.

+WHILE THERE ARE STILL EIGHT TO 10 YEARS BEFORE THE WHOLE PROJECT COULD BE COMPLETED, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT OF SQUATTER AREAS,+ SHE SAID.

ON EDUCATION POLICIES, SHE SAID SHE SUPPORTED THE RECOMMENDATI OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE THAT HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A BODY OF ITS OWN FOR THE VALIDATION OF DEGREE COURSE RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE UK COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS.

MRS NG STRESSED THE NEED ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE PROBLEM OF SECURING INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF DEGREE COURSES VALIDATED BY THE LOCAL BODY, SO AS TO MAINTAIN INTERNATIONALLY-ACCEPTED STANDARDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATI . IN HONG KONG.

SHE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT CUTTING DOWN ON EXPENDITURE AT THE EXPENSE OF LOWERED STANDARDS WAS HARDLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.

NOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC AND MORAL EDUCATION FOR LOCAL YOUNGSTERS, MRS NG SAID AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISING MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT SOCIAL STRATA SHOULD BE FORMED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO STUDY AND ANALYSE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ALSO TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE THERE WERE PROBLES.

ON THE MANAGEMENT OF STREET SLEEPERS, MRS NG HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE MORE POSITIVE MEASURES AND PLAY A COORDINATING ROLE AMONG DEPARTMENTS FOR THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STREET SLEEPERS, PARTICULARLY VAGABONDS WITH MENTAL PROBLEMS, SHE SAID LEGISLATION UNDER WHICH THEY WERE REQUIRED TO STAY IN SPECIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT ON A COMPULSORY BASIS SHOULD BE PASSED.

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