XN000022-1989-11-18 — Page 3

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SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 18. 1989

ROLE OF AREA COMMITTEES RECOGNISED

THE COMMUNITY RECOGNISES THAT AREA COMMITTEES PERFORM A VERY USEFUL ROLE IN PROMOTING A COMMUNITY SPIRIT AS WELL AS PROVIDING AN INVALUABLE CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL RESIDENTS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY. SIR DAVID FORD. SAID TODAY ISATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE "89 AREA COMMITTEES JOINT PRESENTATION" AT QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM. SIR DAVID SAID SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN THE EARLY 1970'S. AREA COMMITTEES HAD BECOME AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN THE

CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY AND

GOVERNMENT'S

THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME.

"THEY HAVE NOT ONLY GIVEN USEFUL ADVICE ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING

IN THE AREA. BUT ALSO ACT AS A FORUM FOR THE DISCUSSION OF CURRENT AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES." SIR DAVID SAID.

ON THE

THE BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTED AREA COMMITTEES HAD ENABLED VIEWS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ΤΟ BE REFLECTED. HE SAID.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE REVIEW OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IN 1987 HAD REAFFIRMED THE VALUE OF AREA COMMITTEES,

HE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT AREA COMMITTEES WERE ALSO A VERY FERTILE TRAINING GROUND FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS AT THE GRASSROOT LEVEL.

"FOR ALL THESE REASONS IT IS CLEAR THAT AREA COMMITTEES ARE HERE TO STAY. HE SAID.

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AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION OF *THE AREA COMMITTEES CONTRIBUTION. THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE HAD APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 FOR THEM TO ORGANISE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY. THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON. MR DAVID LAN. SAID THE JOINT PRESENTATION PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AREA COMMITTEES TO SHOW THEIR STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION TOWARDS BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY AND ENSURING THE TERRITORY'S CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

TO A SERIES CITY AND NEW

MR LAN POINTED OUT THAT THE EVENT WAS THE FINALE OF "A STEF CLOSER" SEMINARS ORGANISED JOINTLY BY THE TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND AREA COMMITTEES IN URBAN DISTRICTS.

"THE SERIES OF SEMINARS DEMONSTRATES THAT AREA COMMITTEES ARE ENTERING INTO A NEW ERA OF THE 1990'S TO WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD." HE SAID,

THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS FOLLOWED BY A SLIDE SHOW PORTRAYING THE AREA COMMITTEES' ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION, AND A RICH PROGRAMME OF PERFORMANCES BY AREA COMMITTEES IN EACH OF THE 10 URBAN DISTRICTS. THESE INCLUDED DRAMA. SINGING. LION AND DRAGON DANCES AS WELL AS MARTIAL ARTS DEMONSTRATIONS.

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