XN000022-1987-06-24 — Page 36

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1987

"AS A MATTER OF FACT, MEMBERS OF AREA COMMITTEES HAVE ALL ALONG BEEN APPOINTED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICERS AND THEY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC AND SINCERE IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY, HE NOTED.

HE SAID THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS HAD BEEN OUTSTANDING. HE SAID MEMBERS OF AREA COMMITTEES SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICERS SO THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND ALL KINDS OF TRADE COULD BE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED.

IF THEY ARE APPOINTED BY DISTRICT BOARDS, THE INDEPENDENCE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS COULD NOT BE ASSURED, HE SAID.

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HE SAID THAT, IF MEMBERS OF AREA COMMITTEES WERE TO BE ELECTED, THERE WOULD BE TOO MANY ELECTIONS IN DIFFERENT FORMS. SINCE THEIR TERM OF OFFICE WAS ONLY ONE YEAR, IT WOULD SIMPLY BE A WASTE OF TIME, MONEY AND MANPOWER TO

TO HOLD SUCH ELECTIONS. BESIDES, CIVIC-MINDED PERSONS MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE INTERESTED IN STANDING FOR ELECTIONS.

ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER AREA COMMITTEES AND DISTRICT BOARDS COULD GIVE FULL PLAY TO THEIR PRESENT FUNCTIONS IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO, MR LIU SAID HIS ANSWER WAS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

HE CITED THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT AS AN EXAMPLE AND SAID THAT SINCE 1984 WHEN AREA COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE CO-OPTED TO SERVE ON THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES UNDER THE DISTRICT BOARD, AND FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION OF A SERIES OF MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE LINK BETWEEN AREA COMMITTEES AND THE DISTRICT BOARD, THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY BARRIER OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO.

HE SAID AREA COMMITTEES WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE ORGANISATIONS IN REFLECTING GRASSROOTS OPINIONS BECAUSE THEY HAD REGULAR DIRECT CONTACT WITH RESIDENTS.

HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF IN DISTRICT OFFICES SO THAT THE LINK BETWEEN AREA COMMITTEES AND MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES COULD BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE AREA COMMITTEES WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO ENABLE THEM TO ORGANISE MORE ACTIVITIES.

IN ADDITION, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD ATTACH GREATER IMPORTANCE TO AREA COMMITTEES AND SHOULD ATTEND THEIR MEETINGS AND DEAL WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS PROMPTLY.

MR LIU ADDED THAT THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AREA COMMITTEES AND DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE CLEARLY DEFINED. AREA COMMITTEES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SMALL SCALE CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS REFLECTING RESIDENTS' VIEW ON HOW TO IMPROVE LOCAL ORDER, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE AND TRAFFIC, WHILE DISTRICT BOARDS' DUTIES COVERED THE WHOLE DISTRICT.

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