XN000022-1985-03-22 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1985

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APPOINTMENTS TO 19 DISTRICT BOARDS

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A TOTAL OF 132 PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE 19 DISTRICT BOARDS.

THE APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL SERVE THE BOARDS FOR THREE YEARS ALONGSIDE THE 237 NEWLY-ELECTED MEMBERS FROM NEXT MONTH.

SEVENTY-ONE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO BOARDS IN THE URBAN AREAS AND 61 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

IN ADDITION, THE 30 URBAN ON THE URBAN BOARDS AND THE 27 BOARDS AS EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS,

COUNCILLORS WILL CONTINUE TO SIT RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN ON THE NT

THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LI AO NOTED THAT THE APPOINTMENTS WOULD COMPLETE THE FULL COMPOSITION OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE NEW BOARDS WHICH WOULD BE RUN ENTIRELY BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.

+THE NEW STYLED DISTRICT BOARDS ARE NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING INITIATIVE AND DYNAMISM IN THEIR WORK, + HE SAID.

THE APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE WITH THE AIM OF PRODUCING BALANCED AND EFFECTIVE BOARDS WHICH WOULD COMMAND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVED, MR LIAO ADDED.

OF THE APPOINTEES, 59 (OR 44.7 PER CENT) ARE NEW MEMBERS WHO COME FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF BACKGROUND AND OCCUPATION, INCLUDING THOSE WITH EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY AND CIVIC AFFAIRS.

THE REMAINING 73 HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WILL BE AN ASSET TO THE CONTINUITY IN THE NEW BOARDS.

LIKE THEIR ELECTED COUNTERPARTS, THE MAJORITY OF THE APPOINTEES ANNOUNCED TODAY ARE YOUNG, WITH 33.3 PER CENT IN THE 31 TO 40 AGE GROUP AND 29.8 PER CENT IN THE 41 TO 50 GROUP.

AMONG THE APPOINTED MEMBERS, 21 ARE WOMEN AND 111 ARE MEN.

OF THE APPOINTEES, 31 PER CENT COME FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, 18.9 PER CENT FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR, 14.4 PER CENT FROM INDUSTRY AND 13.6 PER CENT ARE PROFESSIONALS.

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