XN000022-1985-04-29 — Page 6

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MONDAY, APRIL 29, 1985

CITING THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AS AN EXAMPLE, MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT OF THE 501 CANDIDATES, 60 WERE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 30, AND 10.8 PER CENT OF THE ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS WERE UNDER 30. IN ADDITION, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ALSO WORKED VERY HARD BEHIND THE SCENES AS ELECTION AGENTS.

MR LIAO SAID: +SUCH ACHIEVEMENTS WITHIN THE SHORT PERIOD OF THE FORMATION OF DISTRICT BOARDS ARE SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN BE PROUD OF. HOWEVER, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVEN MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ACTIVELY ENGAGING THEMSELVES IN KNOWING AND CARING ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH A VIEW TO BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE.+

MR LIAO DISCLOSED THAT HE WAS ALSO CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON YOUTH AFFAIRS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME. YOUTH AFFAIRS AND ACTIVITIES COMMITTEES WOULD ALSO BE SET UP UNDER THE DISTRICT BOARDS. WHILE THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BROAD OUTLINE AND THEME OF EACH YEAR'S ACTIVITIES, THE DISTRICT COMMITTEES WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

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HE SAID: +THIS PROPOSAL IS ONLY IN A CONCEPTUAL STAGE, AND I HOPE THAT THE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS CONFERENCE WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.→

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CCCIYY, MRS SELINA CHOW, POINTED OUT IN HER WELCOME SPEECH THAT THE CONFERENCE WAS BEING HELD IN TWO PARTS. THE SECOND PART WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN JULY TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY YOUTH, TO RESPOND TO THE DISCUSSIONS, THEY WOULD HAVE AMPLE TIME TÖ DEBATE ON, AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO, THE REPORT OF THE FIRST PART OF THE CONFERENCE.

+AT THE END OF THE TWO-PART CONFERENCE, THE COMMITTEE WILL PUBLISH A REPORT WHICH WILL INCLUDE THOSE PROPOSALS THAT ARE CONSIDERED WORTH PRESENTING TO THE PARTIES CONCERNED. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS REPORT WILL BE USEFUL FOR DEVISING FUTURE POLICIES ON YOUTH, SHE SAID.

BANK GOVERNORS MEET ****

MR D.W.A. BLYE, SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS, LEAVES HONG KONG FOR BANGKOK TODAY (MONDAY) TO ATTEND THE 18TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.

THE MEETING WILL BE HELD FROM TOMORROW (TUESDAY) TO MAY 2.

ALSO IN THE HONG KONG DELEGATION ARE MR THOMAS SHARR, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS AND MR GARY YEUNG, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS.

THE GROUP WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON MAY 2 AND MR BLYE WILL PROCEED ON LEAVE ON MAY 3.

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