XN000022-1985-06-21 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1985

APPOINTMENT TO EXCO

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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED THE HON ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, OBE, JP TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT UNTIL AUGUST 31, 1988.

MA LEE HAS SERVED ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SINCE 1978.

AS ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 5, MR LEE HAS ALREADY ACCEPTED REAPPOINTMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD UP TO AUGUST 31, 1988.

REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL 1985 PUBLISHED

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THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL 1985, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COME INTO EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL NEXT YEAR, WAS PUBLISHED TODAY (FRIDAY).

AND THE BILL DETAILS THE MEMBERSHIP, FUNCTIONS, POWERS PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WHICH WILL, LIKE ITS URBAN COUNTERPART, BE A FINANCIALLY AUTONOMOUS EXECUTIVE BODY.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID IT WOULD HAVE LEGALLY DELEGATED AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING SERVICES RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SANITATION, HYGIENE, RECREATION AND CULTURE IN THE AREAS OUTSIDE THE JURISDICTION OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.

+ IN THIS SENSE ITS FUNCTIONS WILL BE DISTINCT FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE HEUNG YEE KUK, HE SAID.

+THESE WILL CONTINUE TO FULFIL AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT ON A BROAD RANGE OF ISSUES.+

ALTHOUGH, IN THE MAIN, THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL FOLLOW CLOSELY THOSE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ORDINANCE, THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES RELATING TO MEMBERSHIP.

WHEREAS THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS A TOTAL OF 30 MEMBERS - OF WHOM 15 ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND 15 ARE DIRECTLY ELECTED

THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL COMPRISE 36 MEMBERS.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT OF THESE 12 WOULD BE APPOINTED, NINE WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS OF EACH OF THE NEW TERRITORIES' DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF HEUNG YEE KUK WOULD BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.

/+FURTHERMORE, THERE