XN000022-1992-10-08 — Page 35

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992

GOVERNOR:

WELL AS YOU KNOW, THE RURAL COMMUNITY

REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THE RURAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES DO EMERGE BY A PROCESS OF ELECTION FROM THEIR VILLAGES. I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE RETAIN A LINK BETWEEN THE INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD REGARD THAT AS JUSTIFIED. THEY ARE ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION OF THOSE ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE AREAS CONCERNED AND I THINK THERE IS A JUSTIFICATION IN TERMS OF TRADITION AND IN TERMS OF A BROAD REPRESENTATION. BUT I THINK THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM CONTINUING WITH A PROCESS IN WHICH A THIRD OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE CENTRALLY APPOINTED. I DON'T HONESTLY THINK THAT ONE CAN JUSTIFY THAT AT A TIME WHEN THE WHOLE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE ELECTED BY ONE MEANS OR ANOTHER.

I HOPE THAT HASN'T DISAPPOINTED YOU TOO MUCH BUT I DO FEEL THAT THAT LINK BETWEEN VILLAGERS, BETWEEN RURAL COMMUNITIES THE DISTRICT BOARDS, IS RATHER AN IMPORTANT ONE.

WILLIAM LEE: DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, MR LEE?

QUESTION:

AND

NOW, SINCE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN INCREASE THE PACE DEMOCRATISATION, I STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS STILL SORT OF APPOINTMENT IN THIS.

OF

SOME

GOVERNOR:

THE

WELL IT'S NOT REALLY AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE ELECTED BY THEIR NEIGHBOURS, ARE ELECTED IN THEIR VILLAGES, TO SERVE ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S APPOINTMENT LIKE THAT WHICH AFFECTS ALL THE DISTRICT BOARDS WHERE CENTRALLY WE'VE BEEN APPOINTING UP TO A THIRD OF THE MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT

LINK, ONE WHICH WE SHOULD KEEP EVEN AS WE MOVE TO BROADEN DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN DISTRICT BOARDS. AND I THINK THERE'S A FURTHER JUSTIFICATION FOR DOING THAT, I WANT TO SEE DISTRICT BOARDS ABLE TO DO RATHER MORE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED TO ME WHEN I'VE BEEN GOING AROUND HONG KONG, BY MANY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, IS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE SUFFICIENT CONTROL OVER THE SMALL BUT IMPORTANT THINGS THAT AFFECT A COMMUNITY, LIKE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS, LIKE APPOINTMENT то LOCAL COMMITTEES, THOSE ARE THE THINGS WHICH DISTRICT BOARDS ARE VERY WELL PLACED TO UNDERTAKE THEMSELVES.

QUESTION:

HONG

I READ FROM YOUR REPORT AND HEARD IT FROM THE TV SERIES, WELL I THINK YOUR SUDDEN CHANGE OF THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, FROM THE TOP TO THE GROUND, AND THEN YOU ARE SHAKING UP ALL KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS WELL YOUR SUDDEN CHANGE, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WILL LINK TO THE LAW?

THAT,

BASIC

/GOVERNOR: WELL